Fall Maintenance Tips to Keep Your Garage Door in Tip Top Shape in Knox County, Ohio

Among the tasks homeowners need to complete before heading into the winter is ensuring the integrity of their outdoor mechanisms. From blowing out their sprinkler systems to cleaning out the garage, no task is deemed too small or too large for the responsible individual who loves their home. However, one domain that often gets neglected is the appearance and safety of one's garage door.

Although the garage door is used daily for various tasks, it becomes an afterthought that slips into the recesses of one's mind. Readers who want to make sure their garage door remains sturdy and operating efficiently heading into colder temperatures, here's how to get started.

Inspections Are a Must

Before purchasing replacement, parts or calling a specialist, homeowners are advised to perform a thorough inspection of their garage door. Not only are they looking for extensive damage to the exterior door, but they're also looking for cracks, bends, misalignments, and blockages within the door's track. Although these items may seem small and unassuming, they can cause damage and poor performance when temperatures turn frigid.

Once these items are checked off their list, homeowners should inspect the spring mechanisms and infrared beams located in the entranceway. If an individual has struggled to close their door in the past, failing spring mechanisms, clogged sensors, misaligned beams, and faulty wiring are the usual culprits.

Winter Is Coming

Winter preparation is essential for homeowners who rely on their garage door systems. With Knox County, Ohio averaging 31-inches of snow per year (3 inches higher than the national average), protection against damaging ice, sleet, snow, and sub-zero temperatures is a no-brainer.

Most homeowners, when faced with upcoming winter storms and polar vortexes, run to their local stores and purchase bags of salt to melt snow that accumulates on their walkways, driveways, entrances, and other paths. This idea sounds good in theory, but the salt erodes metals, plastics, insulation, and wood contained on the garage door.

An alternative method that keeps doors from deteriorating in cold weather is applying wax for automobiles and small machinery. This wax, when applied generously to a garage door, forms a protective seal that blocks out mother nature's harshest elements and debris.

Lubrication and Replacements

Lastly, homeowners need to lubricate their doors and replace parts that show signs of wear and tear. Lubrication is an often-skipped step in garage door maintenance, but it plays a pivotal role in the operation of one's door.

Lubricants that utilize a silicone-based ingredient are recommended for doors that are squeaky, making grinding noises or failing to close. To keep things simple, homeowners should purchase a product like WD-40, or items that use Teflon or lithium lubrication in their ingredients list.

From this point, checking for broken or worn parts is critical. Although each homeowner's experience will vary, replacing expired components will ensure optimal usage through cold, wet, and rainy months on the horizon.