The function of garage doors is pretty simple, they go up and down throughout the years. This happens more often, but one day they suddenly don’t work like they usually do. At first, you may freak out a little, after all, the door keeps your garage and maybe your home secure. But then you may think to yourself that it’s nothing you can’t fix with a little help from YouTube. Sometimes you may succeed, but other times your door might require major repairs. And for that, it is best that you call reliable garage door professionals.

Testing your skills

In most houses, the garage doors are the largest moving parts. Its life is simple, all that a garage door does is move up and down with a press of the button, but the fact remains that you need to keep the moving parts of the doors properly maintained for it to keep functioning well. If you have some of the know-how of the garage doors, then you may be able to fix the minor issues. Your skills will come in handy because the majority of the garage door problems can be easily fixed. If you have enough knowledge of hinges, screws, door tensions, metal tracks, and rollers, then you’d be able to put your handy skills to use and repair the door. All that you’d need is some patience and the right tools.

Examining the garage door

It is no brainer, but the first that you should do when your garage door is not functioning properly is to examine it. You should do that with care and properly investigate the problem with the door. This may entail checking whether the door properly closes and opens. That will tell you if the torsion springs in the door are working or not. If not, then you should gather a screwdriver, mallet, garage door lubricant, level, graphite powder, and house cleaner.

While you are at it, you should also check the door for loose hinges and old rollers. It would be wise of you to also check the mounting mechanism and see if something needs to be changed. You should lubricate the hinges and rollers so that your door performs its function smoothly. It would also last longer that way. Every once a year, a few drops of penetrating oil such as the one used in motorcycles or the three-in-one oils used in some machineries would keep the hinges smooth and in top shape.

Door springs

Problems involving door springs should be taken seriously. Springs make sure that your door functions safely and smoothly. One type of spring that you may find attached to the wall of the door is called a torsion spring. Torsion springs counterbalance the garage door. They are connected to pulleys and cables. They are constantly under huge pressure, so they eventually wear out. You must properly maintain this spring because its maximum life span is mostly around 7 years.

When you notice that the door opener is having a hard time opening the door or if it feels heavier when you try to lift it with your hands, then this means that the springs are worn out.  When these springs break, your door will also break down. They require a lot of force during installation because they lift the heavy garage door. Springs are always under huge pressure, so there will be a chance of injury. It’d be best if you ask garage door professionals for help with the maintenance of these springs.

Door maintenance

If you want to avoid fussy garage door repairs, then you should keep your door maintained. You may not be fond of it, but lubricating and examining it once a year will be enough. Thoroughly check all the moving parts of the door and see for any damage. Put a few drops of penetrating oil or citrus-based oil in the door. Oil all the pulleys and bearings of extension spring openers and torsion springs. This way, you can prevent them from rusting. In the end, you can apply three-in-one oil to all the parts of the door.

While you are maintaining the door, also check if the hinges and rollers are stuck. If they are stuck, you can soften them up by soaking them in kerosene oil. You can use a toothbrush to rub the oil in all the cracks. Clean and wipe the hinges and rollers with steel wool and a steel brush. Then you can apply the lubricant to the cleaned parts. You should also lubricate the drive screw system or chain in the openers that use them.

Also, examine the weather stripping on both sides of the door. If it looks out of place, then you should adjust it. If you feel like you can’t fix it, then you should ask for help from a professional. If your garage door is wooden, then you should consider sealing and repainting it. Adding some weather stripping to the bottom may prove useful.

If your electric garage door has some minor issues, then you can refer to the manual that came with it. These manuals detail all the workings and settings of the garage door. It may be able to help you in solving the problems.

If you feel like the problem is out of your understanding and beyond your beginner-level skills, then you should think about hiring the services of professionals in your area.