What Maintenance can I do to Help My Garage Door and Garage Door Opener Last Longer?
Q: What maintenance can I do to make my garage door and garage door opener last longer?
A: Learning how to maintain your garage door and garage door opener is important to ensure that your door works correctly and lasts a long time - while looking great too! Regular garage door maintenance can help reduce the risks of malfunction issues. Our five tips below are designed so that pretty much anyone can take care of their basic garage door maintenance.
Safety Warning: Please keep in mind to use proper safety measures when performing garage door maintenance. Never attempt to try to adjust springs, chains, or bolts on your garage door. This type of maintenance is best left to a trained professional garage door technician - we’re happy to help you out with anything more extensive that’s needed.
Tip #1: Clean the Garage Door Exterior
It may seem simple, but cleaning your garage door can help with maintenance because it helps you avoid a build up of anything that could affect your door’s performance. Maintaining the appearance of your garage door will also help keep your home’s exterior looking great. Never use a pressure washer on a garage door. The power of the water can strip and remove paint from the door. Instead, to wash the door, fill a bucket with a mild soap and warm water. Spray the door down with a hose, then wash the door with a soft cloth. Rinse the door with the hose and make sure all soap is removed.
Tip #2: Touch-Up Damages
If you notice scratches or paint missing from the door, you’ll want to touch it up to avoid the door from rusting. If rust has already started to appear, use some sandpaper to remove the rust first. Then clean the area and dry it off. Apply the touch-up paint and allow it to dry completely. Reach out to us at Garage Door Canada for assistance with obtaining a colour-matching touch-up paint.
Tip #3: Inspect the Door
Open and close your garage door. Does it move freely up and down, or does it seem like it slips or slightly bounces? Does the automatic door opener motor seem loud? Examine the door on the outside to see if the panels are securely closed and make sure there are no gaps in between them. While it’s light outside, go inside your garage, shut the garage door door, turn off the lights, and see if you can see sunlight coming in from around the door. If you do, then the garage door is no longer properly sealed.
Tip #4: Change Garage Door Opener Batteries
If you’re having issues with having to press the garage door opener button multiple times to get the door to open, you may be in need of a new battery. Get into the habit of replacing the garage door opener batteries at least once a year. The last thing you want is to come home on a rainy day and the garage door won’t open because the batteries have died.
Tip #5: Replace the Light Bulb and Backup Battery
Some garage door openers have a light bulb and backup battery. To test the backup battery, unplug the garage door opener from the power. Press the button to open the garage door. If the door opens, your backup battery still works. If it doesn’t, then you will need to replace the battery. You only need to replace the light bulb if it seems dim or if it flickers.