Homeowner's Guide to Garage Door Maintenance

Many homeowners like to work on their own homes. We know that this can save time and money. But garage doors can be dangerous to work on which is why Garage Doors on Demand offers garage door repair in San Jose. Know the limits when doing maintenance on a garage door and keep safety in mind at all times. The Way Garage Doors Work Garage doors are heavy and require a series of springs, pulleys and cables to open and close them easily. Rollers placed on the edge of the door travel in a metal track to keep the door aligned with the garage opening. Strong springs are attached to the door to counter the weight of the door. Without the springs, opening the door is nearly impossible. When the system is installed and adjusted appropriately, the garage door should be able to be lifted with a simple touch of one hand. It should be able to be lowered easily without crashing to the floor, as well. If an electric garage door opener is installed, it will do the lifting and lowering, but it is not lifting any more weight than if the door was opened manually. Most garage door openers have a bypass mechanism to detach the door from the opener. This allows using the garage door in spite of a faulty opener. Garage Door Maintenance There are a few things a homeowner can do safely on their garage doors. Keeping the metal track clean and free of obstacles allows the door to move freely. Wipe out the track periodically or clear out debris with a can of compressed air. Wipe dust and grease off the rollers and spray them with a silicon lubricant to keep them moving smoothly. Check all of the cables in the system. Look for signs of fraying or broken strands. Check the connections used to attach the springs to the cables and the cables to the door. Look for bent or twisted connections that may be a sign of future failure. If there are any signs of a problem or the garage door does not work smoothly after doing the simple maintenance, contact us to inspect the system. We specialize in all types of garage doors in San Jose and can help with any type of setup. Professional Maintenance Because of the tension on the springs and cables, working on a garage door can be dangerous. We have the right tools and training to know how to stay safe while repairing those critical parts of your garage door. Should a spring under high-tension break free, it can fly across the room and punch a hole in the wall. That's why those types of repairs are best left to professionals. A little regular maintenance of the garage door mechanism will keep it working for years. If a homeowner has any questions about how their system is working, we recommend they contact us instead of doing any work themselves. Being safe when doing home repairs is the smart way to continue enjoying a well-maintained home.