Springtime in Houston is marked usually with days where you wear a jacket in the morning and shorts in the afternoon and everything is covered by pollen. Springtime is also one out of the two times of the year that is best to do a little garage door maintenance. The change in the weather temperatures and seasons do have an effect on all the parts of your garage door and garage door opener. Here are some garage door tips for spring.
Check and lubricate your garage door springs.
Just like changing temperatures have an effect on the pressure in your tires, hot and cold weather can expand and contract your garage door springs. That makes them susceptible to breaking in seasons such as spring when the weather goes back and forth. Another thing that makes them susceptible to breaking or wearing out is this Houston humidity. The damp air can cause your springs to rust, weakening the metal and the change in temperatures can cause them to break. Inspect your garage door springs and lubricate them with garage door lubrication. If you find a spring that is about to break, call a garage door repair specialist to come to inspect your garage door spring.
Check your garage door’s balance.
If the garage door is starting to go crooked or unbalanced, it can put undue stress on multiple parts of your garage door system. To check your garage door’s balance, you’ll have to disconnect your garage door from your opener and check how well the door rests on its own. Run the door up and down a few times to make sure it moves easily within its track. With your garage door moving smoothly in the tracks, run it up about halfway and let go. Does it hover in place, fall to the floor, or move upward? More than a little movement means your door is out of balance. Most likely your garage door springs will need to be adjusted or replaced.
Cables, rollers, and hinges.
Just as we talked about changing weather affecting your springs, the same can happen to your cables, rollers, and hinges. Anything made out of metal can rust and break without the proper care. In regards to the garage door cables, inspect to make sure they are not worn, frayed, rusty, or kinked. Look at the bottom roller bracket to make sure they’re still intact and not damaged. Check the hinges on your garage door to make sure none are rusted and about to break. Also, tighten any loose bolts on the hinges.
Check the rollers to make sure none of them are rusted or broken. On average, your garage door rollers will need to be replaced once every seven to ten years. If any need to be replaced, simply remove the brackets, slide the old rollers out, and then slide the new ones in, slightly bending the track with pliers will allow you to pry them out for replacement. Lubricate your hinges and rollers to ensure smooth usage in the spring and summer.
Check your weatherstripping.
Your weatherstripping is important in keeping those spring and summer showers and storms out of your garage, as well as any bugs and rodents. Check to make sure it has not become cracked or brittle and replace it if it has done so. Make sure you replace the whole length at one time. Make note of which style your garage door has before buying a new weatherstrip.
Spring cleaning.
Here in the Houston area, if you discount the freak snow and ice storm in 2021, we rarely get snow. Instead, we get what we call pollen season. This pollen can cover everything along with other dust, dirt, and debris. If left on your garage door parts and door, it can cause issues. Take a rag and wipe away any dust, dirt, and debris from your garage door tracks. Your garage door has photo sensor eyes toward the bottom of the tracks. Those are what help keep your garage door from closing all the way when it shouldn’t. Those eyes should get a good wipe down, so the laser sensor does not get blocked by dirt. Your garage door should also be cleaned with soapy water and dried so no residual dirt can work its way into other parts of your garage door system. Do not use bleach as it is too harsh of a chemical and can damage the paint on your garage door.
Spring can be a beautiful time here in Houston and with the perfect weather comes the perfect time to do a little springtime garage door maintenance. Within your maintenance checks, if you find there is something on your garage door that needs to be repaired, you can call us at 281-748-9542 or 713-557-3407 for a free quote and same-day appointment.