Keeping your garage door suspension springs well maintained is the main step you can take to ensure that your garage door would work reliably and safely. Although a garage door’s individual panels, cables and tracks also require periodic attention, springs are the key to saving you money and hassle in the long run. Look into how preventive maintenance can help keep your overhead door working like new.
Maintenance Runs the Life of your Garage Door
You can take some basic maintenance steps yourself to give your door a longer working period. For example, you should regularly lubricate the pulleys, tracks and other parts every six months or so with a light-weight essential oil or silicone spray. You can also replace the weather stripping and make tighter loose nuts, bolts and screws.
Your system will last longer if you take the time to give it a careful examination on a regular basis. This will include looking for fraying in the cables as well as rust or dents in the paths. You should also test the locks periodically, checking to make sure that they are secure. These steps will keep your equipment running smoothly, prolonging the life of your door and its parts. Of course, if you are uncertain about how to perform these procedures, it is recommended to hire a professional to take care of them for you.
What you cannot handle as a do-it-yourselfer is anything relating to the springs. Torsion springs are dangerous and require the attention of an experienced professional. Under normal use, annual maintenance is usually sufficient. In a commercial setting or if you cycle your door multiple times each day, experts recommend twice-yearly inspection and maintenance.
Safety Inspections
Thousands of people are injured by garage doors every year. Not only do people suffer pinches and lacerations from faulty parts, but many are injured when doors fall as a result of broken torsion springs. In addition to the regular maintenance service, ask your repair contractor to provide a safety inspection at least once per year. A specialist will be able to determine if parts need to be repaired or replaced and will update your door with the most current safety features.
The Importance of Repair and Replacement
On average, garage doors are opened and closed around 1,500 times each year. If you neglect regular door maintenance, the rollers can become frozen, necessitating the replacement of your tracks. The opener mechanism can fail; leaving your door jammed halfway open. The tracks may become misaligned or misshapen, making your door difficult to open and close. Or, worst of all, the torsion springs could become unbalanced or lose tension, causing the door to abruptly fall. In some cases, pieces of the tightly coiled spring can come loose and fly through the air, causing severe injury or even death, as well as damage to property. Preventive maintenance will save you the hassle of dealing with unexpected problems, but it will also help keep your family safe.
Protect the integrity of your door and the safety of your home by implementing a regular maintenance plan. Contact a professional garage door contractor in your area for assistance with all your maintenance needs as well as garage door spring repair.
We at Thrifty Garage Door Repairs specialize in repairing all types make and models of garage door. If you have any issue with your garage door, we are here for your garage door repair and maintenance. Our service areas cover New Westminster, Surrey, Burnaby, Coquitlam, Delta, Langley, Vancouver, Richmond, West Vancouver and surrounding areas in BC. To get a better idea for your garage door spring repair needs feel free to contact us at (604)901-7676.
