Garage Doors

It’s a rare homeowner who spends much time pondering his or her home’s garage doors and garage door opener. That changes drastically, however, once a problem with said garage or opener creeps up. Scheduling routine maintenance and choosing not to procrastinate on making what might small repairs for what seem like innocuous issues can prevent an inconvenient or potentially dangerous situation.

Considerations

Often, the garage door is also a rather conspicuous part of a home’s façade. Therefore, it’s important to keep in mind the door’s appearance as it relates to the exterior design of your home. Color, materials and style are all factors homeowners should consider when choosing a garage door. It’s also important to remember that it is not only an aesthetic commitment, it’s a commitment to the maintenance. Wood doors require regular refinishing, and steel doors, if not coated with factory-finished paint, will need to be recoated occasionally.

Energy efficiency is also a consideration. The colder air that accumulates in an attached garage can work its way into the home, forcing the HVAC system to work harder than necessary. A well-insulated garage door will help to reduce or prevent your home’s heat loss during the colder months.

Security

Technology has given the homeowner safer garage door openers that utilize a rolling-code technology. A new, random code is generated each time the opener is used making it nearly impossible for anyone to open your door using their own modified opener. However, if your opener is older, security could be more of a concern. Older openers use one coded signal over the life of the device, making it possible for someone nearby to capture and copy the code.

Maintenance

There are several things homeowners can do to make extend the lives of their garage doors. Inspect the tracks to ensure that their various sections are flush and securely bolted together, as loose connections can cause the system to malfunction and reverse the direction of the mechanism. It’s also best to keep the rollers, springs and hinges properly lubricated with silicon spray to keep things running as smoothly as possible.

Speaking of the door’s springs, those should be checked periodically, as well. Your door should be easy to open and close manually. The springs may need to be adjusted by a professional if you have difficulty opening the door. If your door fails to open more than three feet when the opener is running, a broken spring may be the culprit. Replacing springs is not as easy, or safe, as it seems so always schedule a qualified technician to tackle that task. Also, if you have extension springs, safety cables should be installed to prevent a failed spring from damaging your vehicle, garage walls or even yourself.

While the routine maintenance discussed above can help prevent a good number of garage door issues, always engage a professional to correct malfunctions involving broken springs, missing or broken safety cables, and frayed cables.