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Garage door maintenance should include annual inspection

By Joyce Koballa jkoballa@heraldstandard.Com 3 min read
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Basic, routine maintenance of a garage door and opener should be automatic for homeowners, especially when it comes to safety, according to the International Door Association (IDA).

Because a garage door is considered to be one of the most overlooked appliances in a home, IDA said the operating system should be properly adjusted and regularly maintained in order to function correctly.

Twice-a-year lubrication is the first step suggested by IDA to keeping a garage door in peak operating condition.

John Hudock, owner of Hudock Garages in Uniontown, said a special silicone spray similar to WD40 can be used in the track if the door is squeaking.

A 2014 survey on garage door maintenance conducted by the Harris Poll found that 27 percent of homeowners surveyed said that their garage door’s hinges and rollers had never been lubricated and 12 percent aren’t sure when they were last lubricated.

“Lubrication is the simplest step a homeowner can take to make sure their garage door remains in good working order,” says Chris Long, managing director of IDA.

Experts say on average, a garage door can last up to 30 years while a garage door opener generally lasts between 10 and 15 years.

Hudock said people are straying away from conventional garage doors with extension springs and going with torsion springs because they are safer and a better system for raising a garage door.

A new email program for homeowners from IDA offers twice-a-year maintenance reminders by registering on its website, GarageDoorCare.

Long suggests that homeowners think of garage door maintenance in the same manner they think of regular oil changes for the family autos or annual furnace inspections.

Homeowners should also consider using a garage door professional when it comes to repairs.

“If it sticks going up and down, is crooked or you hear a different noise than before it’s better to have a professional look at it because it can be dangerous if something is wrong, especially with the torsion springs” said Hudock.

According to IDA, a garage door system is comprised of many components, including springs and cables that are under high tension, and can cause severe injury or even death if broken, tampered with or mishandled.

“For a nominal inspection fee, a professional can recognize a small problem and remedy it before it becomes a large problem. And if a garage door operating system is in really bad shape, most folks should consider a professional for repairs or, if necessary, replacement,” said Long.

Other tasks homeowners can perform to ensure that their garage door remains in top operating conditions include a visual inspection of the door’s springs, cables, rollers, pulleys and mounting hardware, door balance test, reverse mechanism test and photo eye test.

Experts note that seasonal changes can also interfere with its mechanisms and inner workings.

Hudock said most garage door systems come with a five year manufacturer’s warranty, and are steel insulated compared to older wooden models that are affected more by the weather.

Over time the temperature and humidity changes as well as the warping and movement of metal can cause garage door parts to weaken, loosen and break down.

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