If you're reasonably handy, there's plenty that you can to to keep your garage door working great through one season after another. We'd like to share some of those simple actions - but first, a couple of things you should never do.
If there's any problem with the safety stop mechanism on your automatic door, call a professional right away. This is a situation that can damage your car and even cause personal injury. Even more important: hands off the powerful high-tension springs that control the door. A sudden release of these springs can be extremely dangerous. Leave everything related to these components to the pros.
What you can handle yourself starts with visual inspections - look over the whole system. If a track or other part is bent or otherwise damaged, have it replaced at once. You should be able to spot tracks that are out of alignment, another common problem that needs prompt attention. Failures in these components can lead to more serious and expensive repairs. The same is true of cables - anything frayed or worn should be checked and replaced by your service technician.
Remove any leaves or other obstructions from the tracks or moving parts, and wipe out the tracks with a household cleaner. Use a penetrating oil such as WD-40 (citrus-based solvents also work) on the tracks, rollers, hinges and latches. Wipe it all off, then apply light lubricating oil to the same parts. On garage door openers, apply the same oil to the chain. Lubricate the system at least annually.
Check the door's weatherstripping - if it's damaged, jammed or missing, adjust or replace it. Older wooden doors without such protection at the bottom should first be sealed or painted - then you can add weatherstripping if you wish.
Finally, check all nuts, bolts and fastenters. Tighten any that have loosened. Remember, something that looks wrong may well be. If you have any concerns, call ABE Doors and Windows at 610-398-2430. Our friendly, expert technicians will be there soon to check things over.