Garage door maintenance checklist

For most homeowners the onset of spring typically triggers a laundry list of chores that need to be addressed. The windows need cleaning, the grass needs raking, the driveway requires a once over and the trees and shrubs call for attention.

Spring is also the ideal time for the safety inspection of your house and garage. Maintenance of your garage door is important and requires a minimal investment of money and time. Here is a five step garage door maintenance checklist from the experts at Garaga Inc., the country's leading garage door manufacturer, to guide you through the process.

To clean your door use a gentle soap (e.g. same as you use to wash your car) and rinse thoroughly. For those tough stains, use an all-purpose detergent. Do not use abrasive cleaners or other strong liquids. To stop the damaging effects of acid rain and ultraviolet rays of the sun you can apply liquid car wax once a year.

We suggest cleaning your PVC weather seal with an all-purpose detergent and then, thoroughly rinse. Lubricate the weather seal every two months (more often depending on usage) with a silicone lubricant. Do not use petroleum based lubricants; the petroleum attacks rubber.

To keep you door running, it's important to check all moving parts. They need a minimum of maintenance to offer better performance.

Lubricate the rollers, track and hinges and all moving parts with a little motor oil (e.g. 10W30) every three months. Wipe off excess of oil with a cloth. The safety cable also needs to be checked to avoid problems.

The track doesn't need to be lubricated. We suggest lubricating the rollers (the inside) and the hinges with a metal lubricant. Do not use any lubricant with cleaner base.

J-F Morin, marketing manager for Garaga emphasizes: "For your own safety, never attempt to adjust the springs, the bottom brackets, or the hoisting cables yourself because of the inherent risk associated with the great deal of tension in the springs. An installer can do the work for you."

Weather conditions may cause some minor changes in door operation requiring some re-adjustment. So it is important to do a check up once a month. First, disengage the opener from the door by pulling the opener release rope/cord. Work the door manually. It must be well balanced. If the door is not balanced, contact a qualified garage door installer. A well-balanced door weighs 5 to 8 kg. Check if your door opens and closes completely. If necessary, adjust limits and/or force.

Since 1986, all the residential door openers are supplied of with 2 security devices. Check the safety reversing sensor. The door must reverse on contact if an object (a 2 X 4 wood stud) or a person is under it. Also, check if your photo sensors are correctly plugged in and aligned. The door should reverse if any object passes through the beam. Do not permit children to play with the opener. Morin also recommends keeping the remote control in an inaccessible location.

Your garage door is an important part of your home, by performing the suggested maintenance it will provide you with carefree convenience for many years to come. Garaga offers clients a tune up program tailored to your needs, more information is available at www.garaga.com.

- News Canada