Garage door maintenance and garage door repairs are required more in summer because the door opens and closes more often during summer. The summer weather is around the corner and it is important to keep garage door cool to keep it functioning well throughout the summer weather.
To keep your garage door running smoothly in summer, it is important to do certain things. After all garage door is a perfect place to store car and toys when you do not want them to be cluttered up in the driveway or take up empty spaces in your home.
The summer months are when the majority of homes are expected to be open. And, because of the increasing use of garage doors, the quality of the door is starting to suffer.
The problem is that many people are not aware of the importance of garage door repair in summer.
While most homeowners see the garage as an ideal storage solution for those hot summer months, it can become a stressful problem. If you have a residential garage that has a door that opens automatically, then you know how important they are. However, this means many potential issues may arise during peak temperatures. Here are some tips on how to keep your garage door running smoothly in summer:
Install a remote control timer
If you live in a place where temperatures can become extreme, then you may want to consider installing a remote control timer. This will allow you to set your garage door to open and close at various times throughout the day. This will help you keep it cool and reduce the amount of energy it uses. This is especially important in the hot summer months when you don’t want the garage door to be open for extended periods.
You can set it to open a few minutes before you come home from work and close at a certain time in the evening. Wrap-up: A remote control timer is a good way to keep your garage cool without having to worry about setting the door to open and close at certain times. It’s especially important in summer because the garage is likely to be hotter than any other room in the house.
You can get one of the professionals from our organisation to be able to do that.
Change your batteries
Your opener will likely have an indicator light that tells you when your batteries are low. While you may be tempted to leave the batteries in and run the risk of a breakdown, it is much better to change them. You don’t want the alarm to go off while you’re away – that could cause a major panic!
If you’re not sure what type of batteries you need, then you will find it easy to track down the correct ones for your make and model. Once you have them in hand, you will find replacing them a quick and easy task. Wrap-up: When it comes to garage door maintenance or garage door repairs, changing the batteries is the first step on our list. Batteries often get overlooked, but they are an important part of your openers’ operation.
Run the opener manually
If you have an issue with your garage door opener, then you will want to run it manually. If only one side of the door is functioning, then you should close it manually before opening it again.
This will allow you to check the trolley, the rails, and the door itself to see what the problem might be.
In the case of a broken spring, you will want to manually lower the door. This will allow you to inspect the spring and repair it if possible. Be sure to wear appropriate safety gear and remind any children to stay away from the area.
Wrap-up: If you have a garage door problem, then it would be a good idea to run the opener manually to help isolate the issue. This is especially true if you need to repair a broken spring.
Check your springs and cables
If you have never worked on a garage door opener before, then you might want to hire a professional to ensure that the job is done correctly. If you’re comfortable working with machinery and have the authority to do so, you can attempt to replace the springs and cables. It can be a fairly straightforward process but depending on the type of garage door it can be complex as well, but you should still go slowly to make sure you don’t make the situation worse.
If you are unsure, you might want to call in a professional to ensure the job is done correctly.
Wrap-up: If your garage door is broken and you’ve already run the opener manually, then you can check the springs and cables. This will help you determine if it’s something that can be repaired or if you need to call a technician to replace the parts.
Have your garage door inspected
If you have done the above and your garage door is still not working, then it might be time to have it inspected. This will help you determine if it is something that you can fix or if you need to replace it. The best place to get garage door repairs in brisbane is GarageServicePros.
If you are worried about the cost, then you can always call a garage door company and ask for inspections and/or send screenshots and videos of the garage door that needs to be inspected. Many companies offer this as a way to drum up more business.
Many companies like ours are available to come out at low cost and check out your door to see what is wrong and let you know how much it would cost to fix it.
Wrap-up: If you have already replaced the batteries and checked the springs and cables and you still cannot get your garage door to open, then it may be time to have it inspected. An inspector will be able to tell you what is wrong with it and let you know what it would cost to repair or replace it.
Check your door and opener regularly
If you keep an eye out for any issues, repairs can be much simpler. To start, you would want to make sure your door is properly aligned.
An improperly aligned door will not only be difficult to open and close, but it will also put extra stress on the opener and could even cause damage to the wall. You can check for alignment issues by pulling the door toward you so that it is fully open. Once it is in this position, you should be able to see the bottom track. If you notice that one side of the track is higher than the other, you will want to have your door realigned.
You can contact a professional for assistance or read our door alignment guide. Next, you will want to check the condition of your garage door.
Examine the door for any dents, rust, or other issues. If there are any issues, you will want to address them as soon as possible. A small dent or rust spot can quickly become a major issue. Rust can expand and cause the metal to corrode through, while a dent can cause the metal to become misaligned, resulting in a problem with the opener.
Also, check the springs on the door. You should be able to see them if you look between the tracks on the side of the door. If they are covered in rust, you will need to have them replaced.
Keep it well-lubricated
It is one of more common garage door issue in summer. Keeping your door well-lubricated will help it slide up and down more smoothly. To do this, apply a lubricant to the rails where the door travels. You can use a silicone spray, as it will also help to repel moisture.
If you notice that the door is not opening and/or closing smoothly, apply more lubricant as needed. You may also want to check the hinges on your door. You can use a lubricant on the hinges as well to help them move more smoothly. If they are squeaking, this will also cause the door to stick.
You may also want to check the spring clips that hold the springs in place. The clips will wear out over time, so you may need to replace them. The cost to replace varies depending on the spring and those costs are provided in our another article.
If the weather stripping around your door has become worn or brittle, you will want to replace it. Weatherstripping around the door keeps out harsh weather and pests that could damage your door or be a nuisance.
Don’t forget the windows
If you have garage windows, you can keep them from fogging up by applying a silicone spray to the inside of the window. You can also apply an anti-fog coating to keep them from getting foggy.
If the windows are fogged up, you can use a hair dryer on a low setting to clear them up. The heat from the dryer will help to loosen the fog and push it out of the window. If there are any issues with your windows, you will want to have them repaired right away. Cracked or broken windows can cause your garage to become too hot, so you will want to have them replaced as soon as possible.
Check your battery and charging system
The garage door opener is powered by an electric motor, and it uses a battery to power the sensors that open and close the door. If you notice issues with the opener, one of the first things you will want to do is check the battery.
If it is low or has corroded, you will need to replace it. You can test your battery by removing it from the opener and putting it in another device to see if it still has any charge. If it does, you can put it back in the opener and it should work just fine. If it does not, you will want to replace it as soon as possible. Your opener also uses a charging system that will allow it to run even when the power is out.
If this system malfunctions, your opener will not be able to close the door when the power goes out. If you notice issues with your charging system, you will need to have it repaired as soon as possible.
Add weather sealant and/or weatherstripping to seal any cracks
If your door is old, you may notice that it begins to crack with age. Cracks in your door can cause it to heat up and extend the amount of time it takes to cool your home.
To help reduce the amount of heat that is escaping through your door, you can apply weather sealant to the cracks. You can purchase this at your local hardware store, or you can use caulk. You will want to place the caulk on the outside of the door so that it doesn’t collect dirt or other debris.
Adding weather sealant will help not only with cooling of the garage door but also in winter time helping keep garage door warmer as well as heat will escape much slower due to weather sealants.
This is a great article for installing weatherstripping to garage door.
Conclusion
When it comes to garage door maintenance in summer or garage door repairs in summer, the best time to perform these tasks are in summer.
You would want to change your batteries, run the opener manually, check the springs and cables, and have your garage door inspected, check your doors open more often, keep it well lubricated, add weather sealant to seal any cracks, check battery or charging system and maintaining garage door windows . It could also be an ideal time to install a remote control timer to help keep the garage door cool.
By following the 10 tips provided above, you can ensure your garage door is running smoothly all summer long.
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