Exteriors

Safety Factors to Consider When Maintaining Residential Garage Doors

GarageIf you are like the majority of homeowners with a garage, then you probably give little thought to the condition of your garage doors until something breaks or it stops working. However, if you consider that a door is both heavy and has many moving parts that can become worn out over time then you would probably pay it a little more attention.

With the potential to cause serious injury and even result in death, a poorly operating garage door is an accident waiting to happen. Let`s face it, would you stand under something weighing several hundred kilogram's that was only held in place by a worn out and frayed piece of cable? Though not!

So know we understand the importance of maintenance it is important to understand what areas should cause the most concern and therefore warrant the closets attention.

Manually Operated Garage Doors

Depending upon the type of door installed you will need to look at different areas.

Up & Over Garage Doors - In addition to inspecting the general condition of the door panel itself, this type of product should be inspected in the following areas:

  • Check the condition of the cables. Look for signs of wear and tear and where present replace them with new ones. Readily available the cost only a few pounds and take minutes to install
  • Check the spring tension on the door to see how hard it is to open. A door that is correctly balanced should neither rise nor fall of its own accord so simply lift the door a few ft off the ground and see what happens. If the door either lifts or drops then adjustment will need to be made. Please remember that the springs will be under high tensions and if not properly adjusted in the right manner can snap causing severe injury. As such we only recommend you carry out this task if you are 100% confident in what you are doing.
  • Lastly go around all the nuts and bolts that hold the tracking mechanism in place to ensure they are all secured tightly. Should any fixings need tightening complete this task as you discover them

Sectional Garage Doors - Similar in design to the above design, in addition to the above points of reference, you will also need to look at the following areas to be sure the door is running correctly:

  • Check the condition of the rollers that the door panel runs on. These will wear out over time leading to improper operation. Costing very little they can be fitted with the most basic of tools in only a few minutes but will prolong the life of the door for many years
  • Ensure the horizontal tracks are clean and free from debris so the rollers can operate freely within them. Simply use a clean cloth and some white spirit and give it a wipe over to remove grime and dust etc.

Roller Garage Doors - Unique in design, a garage roller door has minimal moving parts however this does not remove the need for regular inspection and maintenance and will require the following checks;

  • Check the door is correctly balanced by lifting it halfway up letting go. It should remain in the same position. If the door drops adjustments can be made to the tension by turning the spindle inside the roll until the required level of tension is set.
  • Look at all the fixing points where it connects to the building. A door of this kind is very heavy and can start to become loose over time. Again, any loose fixings should be re tightened to the required torque.

Automatic Garage Doors

Doors fitted with motors are classed as a machine and as such must meet strict safety guidelines to prevent entrapment or injury. To check the safety features are working correctly place an object across the safety beam and the door should stop moving. Alternatively, if the door is fitted with a safety edge on the bottom, as the door is moving touch it and the door should stop in the same manner as before. If either of these systems fails to stop the door then an error is present and must be investigated further by a qualified professional.

In conclusion, maintaining and repairing a garage door is a simple task that will ensure the safety of the operator at all times whilst saving you money in the long run by prolonging the life of the door.

This article has been provided by rollergaragedoorsonline.co.uk-specialised in the supply of a wide range of quality garage doors and haveing experience in the maintenance and repair of existing doors of all types and sizes.

If you have any questions, please ask below!