Winter's Almost Here; 3 Steps To Prepare Your Garage Door Opener

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Winter is just about here. Time for rain, snow and all other manner of inclement weather. Now's the time to make sure your garage door opener is operating properly. If it's not, you could find yourself stuck outside in the cold. Here's a quick guide for some simple garage door maintenance you can take care of yourself.

Wash It

Each time your garage door opens or closes, it leaves trace amounts of grease along the tracks. That grease can get caked with dirt, dust and other types of debris. If the debris stays there long enough, you could end up with a garage door that doesn't move along the tracks properly. Before the cold weather sets in, make sure your garage door tracks are thoroughly cleaned.

Supplies You'll Need

Directions

  1. Use your whisk broom to sweep away all the lose debris.
  2. Dip your scrub brush into the soapy water and thoroughly scrub the entire length of track on both sides of your garage.
  3. Wipe the tracks off with your sponge to remove the dirty suds that were left behind.
  4. Allow the tracks to air dry.

Tighten It

Now that the tracks are clean, you'll want to inspect them. The vibration caused by the door moving along the tracks can cause the bolts to work loose. When that happens, your door can get jammed and jump the tracks. If that happens, your car may get damaged. If you're in the garage when the door jumps the tracks, you may suffer serious injuries.

Be sure to tighten any loose bolts you may find. If you find areas that are missing bolts, you should replace those as soon as possible. It's also important that you look for signs of damage along the tracks. If your tracks are bent or cracked, you'll need to get them repaired or replaced.

Oil It

The chain drive and motor that moves your garage door up and down needs to be lubricated from time to time. Without proper lubrication, the motor can overheat and the chain can get jammed. Place a few drops of gear oil inside the motor housing. The oil will lubricate the chain as it moves through the housing.

Don't get stuck outside this winter. The simple steps provided above will help you get your garage door opener ready for the cold winter months. 

For professional help with your garage door, contact a company such as Overhead Door Of Akron.


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