Most people do not give the garage door more than a moment’s thought. Even though they might use the garage door every day when they’re taking the car out and coming back in at the end of the day, even though they might use the exterior control panel to open the door so they get into the house; people don’t stop to think much about the garage door. The only time they do bother to think about it is when something is going wrong. Of course, when something is wrong with a garage door, there is a very good chance that it is no longer safe.
Keep in mind that the garage door is probably the largest moving object in your house. As such, over years of use, it may need to have certain repairs done to remain in good condition and viable. If you haven’t taken any time to look at the garage door lately, how sure are you that it is actually safe?
The following are some simple tips that you can use to help keep your garage door and your family safe and sound. It is good idea to complete this maintenance and perform these checks at least two times per year. Most homeowners want to do this once in the fall just before winter starts, and then again in the spring.
Conduct a visual inspection
You can start by conducting a visual inspection of the garage door system. Make sure the horizontal tracks are parallel and they do not tilt. If they are tilted, even if just one of them is tilted, it is going to cause problems when the door opens and closes. Make sure that the bolts that hold the tracks in place are nice and tight as well. You also want to look at hinges to make sure screws are attached properly and that they are tight. You should also check out the rollers to make sure that they are in good shape.
Check the basic spring system
The next thing you want to do is pull the emergency release cord, which should be near the rear of the system. When you do this, it disconnects the garage door from the door.
Then, you want to raise the door using the lift handle. When you open the door manually, pay attention to the weight. If the doors will balance in the spring system, working properly, the door should weigh between eight and ten pounds. If you find that the door is difficult to open, or feels as though it weights more than this, it likely means there’s a problem with the spring system. This is not something you can repair on your own; you need to have professionals come in and take care of it for you.
It is important to keep in mind that the problem is with the doors and not just that it is difficult to lift. It also means that the door is pushing down with a lot more force than normal – in some cases up to 250 pounds. This could cause anybody below the door to be at high risk for injury.
Check to see if the door reverses properly
Next, you will want to reconnect the door, and make sure that is connected properly, using the remote control to open the door. Those doors manufactured after 1986 will have two different safety systems attached to them – a mechanical system and aphotoelectric system. Those doors manufactured before 1986 will only have mechanical system in place. You will want to test the systems in your garage door.
When you are testing mechanical system, you can use a piece of wood placed on the threshold. Press the button and close the door with the remote. When the door hits the wood, it is supposed to reverse direction immediately. If it doesn’t, it means there’s a problem with the button that controls the door in most cases.
Testing the full electric system works very similarly. The full electric system includes two small units placed on either side of the door opening. These are generally to be between four and five inches from the ground. With the garage door open, stand near the door and then press the button to lower it. As the doors lowering, pass a foot in front of one of the full electric units to break the beam. This should signal to the door that something is in the way, and the door should reverse direction almost immediately. If it doesn’t, it means or something wrong with the system. It could be something as simple as the units being misaligned, or could be a greater problem.
Lubrication
Those who have modern openers won’t need to use lubrication on the door. This is because the technician will have applied plenty of grease during the installation of the door to make sure they can open properly for a number of years to come.
On the other hand, those who have a chain drive door opener will need to add petroleum-based oil to the chain occasionally. Twice per year, add the oil and then wipe off the excess. In addition, you can add a bit of grease to the gear and sprocket assembly at both ends of the trolley.
Responsible use of the garage door opener
Remind your children that the garage door opener is not a toy. They should only use it when they are in your presence, and this also goes for the control panel near the home’s access door. In addition, you need to tell your kids stand at a distance when it is in operation. Even when the door is in good working order and the reversal system is in place, you don’t want to run the risk of injury to yourself or your children. Also, make sure they do not give away the four-digit access code for the garage door to their friends.
Check out the video for garage door opener safety rules and visit industry web site: www.garagedoorcare.com. You can click here to get a free quote, or click here to start by building your perfect garage door! You can also call us at 705-324-1005.
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