The garage door is a very convenient and effective invention of our times. It is used extensively in both homes and commercial establishments. In homes, it is probably the biggest piece of automated equipment. Its utility has made it an item of every day and everybody’s use. Like all things mechanical, garage doors require maintenance and tune-up with periodic intervals.
When to go for garage door maintenance?
A garage door consists of many mechanical parts. It has opener, springs, rollers, hinges, cables to name just a few. All these components need to work in cohesion to ensure the smooth operation of the garage door. For this, they need maintenance checks every now and then. There is no definite and clear answer as to when you go for garage door maintenance. Many people wait for it to break down before they call for help. It shouldn’t be so. If you give it a regular check you can prevent it from breaking down. The garage door should be given a tune-up at least once in a year but it is not a general rule. It depends on a number of factors which we will discuss one by one below;
Usage:
This is obvious. If a garage door opens and closes more frequently in a day then it will have more wear and tear and would require early maintenance. Usually, garage doors in commercial establishments are used more often than their domestic counterparts. But sometimes the homeowners use it more often too. It all depends on the particular situation. The frequency of maintenance is directly proportional to usage. As soon as you sense some problem in your garage door it is advisable that you garage door repair company and call them right away. It is a job for professionals and you better let them handle it.
Age:
A garage door which is new would require less maintenance compared to the one which says 2-3 years old. A new garage door might not require any maintenance at all for 18 months but old ones require a more frequent check-up. Because their machinery has depreciated and they need regular maintenance.
Quality of the door garage:
Whenever you wish to install a door garage, always look for a reputable company. Conduct a survey. Ask your family and friends what is the brand of door garage they are using. It will give you an idea of what to expect and what not in a door garage. Go for the company with a proven quality record, a solid warranty and the one which gives adequate after-sale service too.
Place of Installation:
As we discussed earlier that garage doors used in commercial establishments have extensive usage than the ones installed at homes. But the maintenance of commercially used garage doors depends on some other factors too. We discuss them below;
Usage: If a garage door is installed in a warehouse and it is opened and closed many times a day it needs to be serviced at least quarterly. If a commercial garage door is not used that often say, only once or twice in a day it can be serviced after one year.
Accident-prone sites: Nobody intends to collide with a garage door on purpose, but accidents do happen. In a factory where delivery vehicles and forklifts roam around such collisions are common. Even small dents and light brushing can affect the smooth working of the garage door. Therefore, the maintenance ratio in such places will obviously be high.
High-risk areas: If the commercial garage door has been broken into or tampered with then obviously it will require more frequent and regular maintenance checks. Sometimes the management is not even aware that the garage doors are being tampered with. It is recommended that in such high-risk areas garage doors should be inspected by professionals quarterly.
Why is it important to get garage doors checked?
There are 30,000 garage door related accidents annually. It can cause damage to your property. You do not want a spring falling from the garage door on your car. It can even cause injury to young and adults alike. All these incidents can be easily avoided if the garage doors are properly maintained and regularly inspected for repair and maintenance.
Signs to look for when a garage door needs maintenance:
Picture this; you are getting late for work in the morning. You skip the breakfast and rush to the garage to get your car: only to realize your door isn’t working and your car is stuck inside. To avoid this unpleasant situation, you should keep a watch on your garage door’s working. When the following signs appear, it is time to give your garage door a maintenance check.
Odd Sounds: If your garage door is producing unusual sounds it is time to give it a check-up. Look for sounds like grinding and scraping when opening and closing. It can indicate malfunctioning of inner hardware which could need replacement.
Skewed Tracks: The track on both sides of the opening that let the door go up and down can get bent which stops the door from opening and closing.
Rundown rollers: Due to usage, the rollers that pass through the tracks can damage or simply wear out. It can prevent the smooth functioning of the door.
Unusual operation: If your garage door is operating in a strange way like for example it shakes or shudders instead of operating smoothly it is a sure sign that it requires a check-up.
Conclusion:
Garage doors are an integral part of our lives. We come in contact with them on a daily basis. It is a very useful invention of modern-day. Its smooth and hassle-free working depends on its regular service and maintenance. It is important that they are inspected by the professionals on a periodic basis to check for any malfunction and do the needful repairs.
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