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After you install a garage door, it is important to follow up with regular servicing and maintenance schedules. Some of the most common problems with garage doors can be averted if you get the door serviced at regular intervals. Ignoring service and maintenance not only leads to unwanted problems with the functioning of the door, but also increases the cost of repair.
There are different kinds of elements covered in a service, such as visual evaluations, door balance tests, testing of the reversing mechanism for automatic doors, force setting test, lubrication of parts and more.
These tests help in identifying problems and fixing them in time, thereby increasing longevity of the garage door.
Keep Door Mechanical Elements In Optimum Shape
Some problems that are common with garage doors seem minor at the outset. However, if you fail to repair them in time, they grow into big and possibly expensive problems.
For example, if you notice the door opening very slowly or only opens slightly, the spring is possibly broken. This is a very serious issue because the door could suddenly come crashing down and cause untold problems. Regular servicing ensures that the springs are well lubricated and the entire assembly is evenly balanced so that such serious problems are minimsed.
If the damage becomes irreparable, you may have to replace the entire door. Servicing is the most effective means of preventive maintenance and hence, ensures longevity of the door.
Reduce Wear
Garage doors, including those of the best quality, are basically mechanical elements. They undergo wear and tear due to regular use. While you cannot prevent the wear, you can ensure their longevity by servicing them regularly.
Ensure Health of the Garage Door
Garage doors fail to work optimally even if one or two minor parts do not perform well. Moreover, failure of a single mechanical element can trigger the failure of many other elements. Servicing at regular intervals keeps every small element in optimum shape and hence, the garage as a whole lasts longer.
Servicing is extremely important for both manual and automatic doors. We offer a complete range of services, from repairing, replacing springs and regular lubrications to ensuring efficiency of the automatic sensors. For smoother operation and to ensure the longevity of your garage door, we recommend that your door is serviced every year. High cycle doors may require monthly, 3 monthly or 6 monthly services, depending on the usage.
Depending on the door type, your service will include (where applicable):
- Adjustment of spring tension
- Lubrication of tracks, hinges, rollers and bearing
- Alignment of door/s and tracks
- Tightening of cables and chains
- Motor adjustments
- Overall check of operation once adjustments are made
The manufacturers of motors and doors recommend the following is completed by the customer frequently to ensure the optimum running of your garage door:
Conduct a Visual Inspection Each Month
Each and every month, an overall visual inspection needs to be conducted, standing inside the garage with the door closed. People are advised to look over the tracks, rollers, hinges, springs, cables, mounting hardware to determine whether there are any signs of wear and tear. If any of the components need adjusting do not attempt this yourself as garage doors can be dangerous if not adjusted correctly. Call Doors Direct on (07) 3161 5963 to book in a trained technician to service and adjust the door as required.
If there are any unusual sights or sounds coming from the garage door, a further inspection should be conducted to determine the source of the problem. Keep in mind that this examination should always be carried out by a trained technician who has the tools and the experience to locate problems within the mechanism.
Door Spring Balance Tests
Testing the balance of the door springs is something that should be done once a month, optimally along with the visual test to save time. In order to conduct this inspection, a person should disconnect the automatic opening system and lift the door manually; if there is any resistance at all, this could be an indication of a problem with the balancing.
Remember, the door not only needs to open easily enough, but it also needs to stay open when it is fully lifted; an issue with regards to this ability could also point to a balancing issue. Closing the door manually, the door should lightly close and not fall to the ground with a thud.
Reversing the Mechanism
Due to the number of accidents that have occurred in the past with automated doors, many countries are requiring that manufacturers fit an automatic reverse mechanism in with their products. This means that an automatic door needs to reverse automatically when it comes into contact with something as it is closing; particularly since this “something” could actually be a person. All Merlin openers fitted by Doors Direct have this auto reverse function.
Make sure the motor is engaged with the door. To test the auto reverse function is operating correctly, individuals can place a piece of wood on the floor before closing the garage door with the automatic switch; the moment it touches the wood, the door should begin reversing. If this mechanism isn’t working properly, the door could pose a risk and a trained technician should be called out to deal with it.
Lubrication
Lubricating the door’s rollers, hinges and tracks is important to keep the garage door running without having it protest loudly with every movement. This is something that can be done on an annual or semi-annual basis. Suitable lubricants depending on the type of garage door are: Garage door spray, WD-40 spray, silicon spray and white lithium grease spray. These lubricants can be found at most local hardware stores.
Problem Solving
Sometimes an issue with the garage door is not what it first seems. For instance the door may be auto reversing, so it would seem the motor has a fault. Although it may be caused by a lack of maintenance and the auto reverse is occurring due to insufficient lubrication of certain parts creating extra resistance against the operation of the motor. A quick spray of lubricant on the door parts can be all that was needed.
Maintenance is not only about preventing issues from arising; it is also about taking care of small problems that could end up quickly spiraling out of control in the long run.. Remember, it is never a good idea to attempt to fix a problem with one of these garage doors if a person isn’t completely confident in their abilities to do so.
Keeping an automatic garage door properly maintained is an important part of ensuring it continues to run smoothly and effectively for years to come. Inspections aren’t only conducted to keep a garage door running however; they are also completed to ensure the device doesn’t pose a danger to the people living in the home and this makes each and every inspection imperative.
Call Doors Direct on 3161 5963 or email us at info@doorsdirect.com.au to book in your garage door service today.