subject: How to Tune Up a Garage Door [print this page] How to Tune Up a Garage Door How to Tune Up a Garage Door
Having a garage door that's in good working order is essential to the comfort and safety of your family with respect to your garage. The garage door is, in most homes, the largest moving object. When you consider the impact of something of that size not working exactly as it was designed, the potential for safety hazards can rise quickly. It is important to know how to do a routine inspection of your garage door and its components, and how to do basic repairs in reference to those parts. Most tune up procedures do not require the professional eye of a trained technician; but if you feel they may do a better job, go ahead and call them. Like I said, this is all about safety. Being able to save yourself some money by doing it yourself is a nice perk, but not the most important part.
In order to perform a routine tune up on your garage door, you'll need the following:
A screwdriver
Rubber mallet/ hammer
A level
All purpose cleaner
WD-40
Cleaning brush
Spare hinges, rollers and screws
Wood filler
Carpenter's glue
Scrap wood
The first thing to make sure of on your garage door is that all of the hardware is tightened properly. The frequent use of your garage door can cause hinges and screws to become loose. Simply go over every screw and hinge and check to make sure they're all tight. If you encounter damaged hinges or bent screws, replace them. Screws, sometimes, cut a wider hole for themselves under the pressure they're supporting. If you encounter this, use the wood filler to fill in hole and bore a new space for the screw. This will ensure a tighter fit, making it less likely that the screw will pull out of the wall.
Next, you need to check your tracks. Make sure that they are free of dents or flattened areas. To repair dents, take your rubber mallet and bang them out against the piece of scrap wood. The tracks support the weight of the door, so if they are too dented or otherwise damaged, it may be a good idea to simply replace them. If they seem to be in good repair, make sure that they are level. The top tracks should be parallel to the floor and the vertical tracks should angle slightly towards the back of the garage. The heights of both tracks should be the same. The heights of the tracks can be adjusted by loosening the brackets and refitting the tracks to the wall at the appropriate height. Once all of the levels are correct, clean the tracks and lubricate them to make sure the rollers run smoothly.
Once the tracks have been inspected and repaired, inspect the rollers and pulley system. Most of the time, these will just need to be lubricated with WD-40 to ensure smooth operation. But sometimes, you may need to replace the rollers. Replacement of rollers is a simple procedure, but be careful of the cable attached to them because it is under tension.
Inspect the lift system cable for frays and cracks. The cable is most likely to wear at the point it is attached to the bottom roller bracket. This should be your main area of focus in your inspection of the cable. Clean the cable with your brush to clear away dirt and debris to help see broken or frayed strands. If you find that your cable is significantly worn, call a garage services technician to replace it. You can do this procedure yourself, however but the cable is under a lot of tension. So make sure that you have the proper knowledge and tools before starting the job.
Make sure that your chain, belt or screw drives are in good working condition. Chains and screw drives should be well lubricated and free of scrapes or wearing. Belts can wear and develop frays that will eventually lead to breakage. If any of these systems fail, they can present significant safety hazards.
The good condition of your garage door and its working components is essential to the safety of your family and garage. Knowing how to perform routine garage door service checks on this equipment can save you a lot of money and give you piece of mind.
