For
crucial home elements, like residential garage doors, its necessary to
perform regular maintenance to increase the door performance and
efficiency. Go through the owner’s manual to review the manner and
techniques that should be followed while working with overhead doors.
In
case, you didn't get any such manual or forgot where you placed it,
consult a reputed garage door repair professional to
know some easy maintenance tips. One can also search for the model
number printed on the back side of the door and then, request a manual
from the manufacturer.
Few simple ways to inspect a door are:
Visual Inspection
The
foremost step in garage door maintenance is looking at various door
parts such as springs, cables, rollers, pulleys, hinges and other
hardware for any wear and tear signs. In case you notice any repairs,
call in a qualified technician.
Door Balance
To test the balance of a door:
1. Begin with closing it.
2. If there's a garage door opener, release its mechanism.
3. Make the door capable of operating manually.
4. After that, lift the door smoothly with little resistance.
5. If it stays opened, everything is fine.
6. If it falls down, it's out of adjustment.
7. Call in an experienced service professional for repairs.
Reversal Test
Test
the reversing mechanism, if there is an opener installed. In case a
door doesn't reverse up, the opener should be replaced. All overhead
door openers are required to have safety features that complies with the
latest safety standards.
To test the reversing feature:
1. Test the balance of the door. If its balanced, proceed further.
2. Open it completely and place a piece of wood on the floor at the center of the door.
3. Push the remote or wall button to close the door. As designed, it must reverse up after striking the wooden obstruction.
4. If it doesn't reverse up, get it repaired soon.
Force Setting Test
For
safety, test the force setting of garage door by holding the bottom
side of a closing door. If it doesn't reverse back, the setting needs to
be adjusted. Check the owner’s manual to know how to adjust these force
settings.
Garage Door Spring Test
Springs,
bracket, cables and all sort of hardware attached to the torsion
springs work under high tension. Any type of spring damage or cracks, if
ignored, can cause a major accident or injury. Don't try to attempt these repairs on your own.
