We get it. Maintaining your garage door is sat at the bottom of your to-do list, rusting away with the rest of the chores. But it’s too expensive to ignore.
One day, your car will be stuck inside in an emergency, and you’ll wish you’d sorted that sticking point before it was too late. Of course, you can do it yourself or get someone else to do it for you, but which is the better choice?
Keeping your garage door damage-free and working requires knowing what not to do and what to do. Here are 6 common garage door maintenance mistakes and how to avoid them.
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Not Lubricating the Hinges
Your garage door hinges should be effective and efficient. This means that they don’t use any lubricants. This is a good thing, as the friction and movement in hinges can build up fast.
Over time, as the door moves up and down, hinges will begin to wear out. The average life of a garage door hinge is about 10 years before it needs replacing. The quick fix for this problem is lubricating your garage door hinges every year to reduce friction and extend their life span.
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Leaving The Door Unused For Long Periods
When you’re in the house, and your garage door stayed shut for some time, odds are that it is in fact part open and it gets jammed because we forgot to properly shut it. Or, you haven’t used it over the winter months and it’s jammed
We like to keep things out of sight, so we usually put our cars in the garage. We are not there with them at all hours of the day, but let them sit still in the garage even when there is no one around.
Make sure you are using and cleaning garage doors regularly enough that you pick up on any issues beforehand, but also not so much that you’re creating unnecessary wear and tear.
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Not Fixing Bent or Misaligned Tracks
You should adjust your garage door rollers every once in a while. This is to ensure the door is moving up and down in the correct way. If tracks are not properly aligned, the door may hang at a weird angle and make noise while in use.
Damage to doors like these can be a headache to try and fix once it’s too far gone. So get to the problem before you have to spend money on door maintenance tools you’ll never use again.
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Not Replacing the Rollers When Necessary
Rollers take more punishment than you might think, and that includes forgetting to put your car in reverse and hitting your door, even with the slightest knock. Make sure you give your garage door some TLC and get it serviced by a professional. That way, you’ll be safe to roll on with no worries.
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Ignoring the Age of the Door
Like cars, garage doors have an average life span. It’s recommended you replace your door every 10-15 years on average.
This depends on the manufacturer and whether there has been any damage to it in the past. If you have a particularly heavy door or door often used, you may want to replace it sooner.
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Not Spotting Obstructions In The Way
It is evident that garage doors are a common hazard throughout the country, and for a good reason. The injuries and accidents that most likely stem from electric garage door malfunctions range from minor to severe – some even fatal.
So make sure your door is not only safe but also free from obstructions. What may appear like a minor bump might in fact cause more severe damage, loosening the door over time and leading to expensive garage door repairs.
Don’t Make These Garage Door Maintenance Mistakes
Taking steps to avoid garage door maintenance mistakes can save you a lot of money and time.
It’s vital you don’t wait too long to fix them when they arise. Failing to act on this will only build up costs in the long run. But by following these simple guidelines, you can make sure you save yourself a small fortune in the future that you can put towards your next car!
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