When you are choosing the garage door, the most important factors are the style and material. The most common options for style are sectional, sliding, roll-up, and tilt-up. The selection is related to your preferences, but some of these options can be more convenient. For example, if you have a vehicle, a roll-up model with remote control will make the parking much easier. There are different materials to choose from as well, such as wood, aluminum, vinyl, steel, and more.
The most important thing after installing these doors is to pay more attention to proper maintenance. It is a common issue that people simply forget to deal with this until there is a malfunction. In that case, you will need to hire a professional. If you need one in Calgary, check out calgarygaragedoorfix.com. On the other side, maintenance will help you avoid expensive repairs, and here are some tips to keep your garage door in good condition.
1. Clean Them More Often
It is not about the part of the door at the front where dirty spots will only affect the appearance, but about the hidden parts that are crucial for proper function. That is especially important for sliding and rolling models with a lot of parts that can get full of dirt and grease. If you avoid cleaning these parts, there is a chance that certain parts will get worn-off much faster.
You can easily notice if the slider or main track are full of dirt since opening the door will become slower and harder. If there is not a lot of dirt, you can easily clean it by using a wipe or paper towel. However, if the dirt is more challenging and there is a lot of grease, you will need a scraper, lubricant, and silicone. Also, it is always a good choice to apply oil so you can keep the parts in good condition.
2. Prevent Rusting
The problem with bigger rusting spots is that it might be already too late to fix such a problem after it appears. In that case, you will need to replace that part or even the whole side of the doors. When it comes to rust, there are different factors that can affect this process.
Also, the material plays a big role. If you choose stainless steel or aluminum, you don’t need to worry about this problem. Moreover, if you notice the rust on functional parts, it is very important to replace them since the structure will become weaker, and there is a chance to face more serious malfunctions.
3. Inspect the Parts
If you have a simple model that you have to open by hands, checking the parts will be quite simple. The key is to keep the technical parts clean and lubricated. On the other side, if you have remote doors with sensors and many additional parts, not paying enough attention can cost you a lot of money.
The electric installations must be well-protected from the wind and rain, and the same is for sensors. The area around the sensors must be clean, and there should never be an obstacle while you are closing or opening the doors.
4. Never Ignore Some Signs
Whether you hear a weird noise while opening or closing them, or the system suddenly became slower, the most important thing is to pay attention right after you notice any issue. The first thing to do is to inspect all the elements, and then clean all the parts. After that, you can test whether the system is now working properly.
If that is not the case, check the installations to see if there are some hidden issues. If this does not help, the only solution left is to call a professional service. If you react on time, you will save a lot of money in case that it is only some minor garage door repair. On the other hand, if you wait for too long, that might lead to more complicated issues.
5. Deal With Maintenance More Often
The best solution for keeping your garage door in perfect condition for a long time is quite simple. All you need to do is to pay more attention to all technical parts. In that matter, learn more about the specific model you own, and then focus on parts that can get worn-off over time.
For example, if you have a rolling model, keep in mind that the roller can be affected by a lot of friction depending on how often you are using them. There are some additional parts that are very cheap, and which you can replace once per year to keep the door in perfect working condition. Also, if you apply the lubricant and deal with minor repairs, you can prevent any unpleasant surprises.
We suggest you to deal with this at least twice per year, and even more often if you are parking your car in the garage every day, and if there is a challenging weather condition in your area like strong wind and rain.
The Bottom Line
The reason why you should start paying more attention to technical parts of garage doors is not only related to saving more money but safety as well. If you have automatic doors with sensors, these parts could get broken and damage your vehicle or someone who is trying to get into the garage.
In most cases, people are looking for design and additional features when they are buying these doors, but a lot of them forget how important it is to maintain them in the right way. A lot of additional parts are affordable, but the repair can be very expensive when you have to replace a lot of them at once.
In the end, be sure that you are choosing the right model for your home, and best material for a specific technical features. For example, choosing a steel doors and combining it with a previous slider or roller that was designed for some lighter materials like aluminum can be a problem.