How to Maintain Residential Garage Doors
One of the most critical and dangerous component parts on any home garage door opener are the high tension springs which must be routinely inspected and lubricated as per the manufacturers directions. Unfortunately, most homeowners are unaware that home garage door torsion springs and several other components of the door call for occasional routine maintenance and safety checks.
The most important and critical component on any overhead garage door opener are the torsion springs which allow the door to open and close easily and smoothly. However, springs that are either worn or wrongly installed can present a safety hazard. As with all mechanical and electric gear in the home, garage doors need regular service to ensure that they carry on operating the way they were meant to.
If you are having any trouble opening or shutting your garage door, you should always pay close attention to the torsion springs which are the most obvious perpetrators. Depending on the age of the springs, they are liable to have worn out to a certain extent. Garage door torsion springs are kept under extremely high tension and are wound tightly. It is because of this extreme high tension that even the most highest quality steel springs will wear over time and finally snap. It is due to this danger of sudden breakage that all garage door opener torsion springs need to be contained so as avert serious injury or property damage. That containment is either in the form of cables or in the case of roller shutter doors, an external steel tube.
Even if they are contained and you have an ageing garage door, it is a good idea to have them inspected regularly by a professional engineer. If necessary, the springs should be replaced. Many overhead garage doors will have two independant springs installed. If only one is damaged, do not simply replace it and not the other. The two springs should be replaced at the same time even though the working one may show little sign of fatigue. It stands to reason that the other spring is likely to break before you know it.
You might own a garage door which causes the springs to screech noisily or make a chattering noise when the door is raised or brought down. Just because it makes these noises does not mean that either the door or the springs need changing. Rather, the problem can be in all likelihood be cured with just some simple lubrication of the different moving parts.
Another sign that your garage door requires maintenance is if there are shredded and worn strips of cable dangling loose. Regardless of the quality of your garage door opener, this is a sign that the cables are on the verge of snapping. A sudden break in the garage door cables can result in serious injury. These chafed cables should be tested and most likely replaced by a professional garage door contractor who is acquainted with the problems connected with springs and cables snapping.
Garage doors by themselves are very heavy and because of that weight, the torsion springs have to be maintained under extreme tension. You should therefore not attempt any mechanical alterations yourself due to the dangers involved in doing so. It would be wise to have a professional garage door installer inspect these important components of your home at least once a year to avert possible injury and problems caused by defective springs.
Related posts:
