Your garage door is probably the largest object in your home so you need to make sure that you’re keeping up with it. If your door has a strange sound or rattles as it’s in operation, then you are probably dealing with an issue. You should probably fix it so that it doesn’t lead to a serious accident. Sometimes, fixing these strange noises is as simple as tightening the bracket but it can quickly become a worse issue.
It’s essential that you lay out a plan of action to prevent small issues from becoming larger and more costly. Your plan should cover everything from lubrication to tightening of bolts. These are all small things that you can do yourself but I still encourage you to have a professional inspection done at least twice per year.
A preventative maintenance plan will save you money in the long-term because it helps you identify problems before they grow enough to become a major issue.
Perform a Thorough Inspection
The first step of your plan must be to perform a thorough walkthrough of your garage system every month. Open and close the door, listening for strange sounds. Visually inspect all cables for signs of wear. If a cable is visually damaged, you need to get it repaired immediately. Never try to do this yourself because these cables are under high tension and can lead to severe injury.
Place a box under the garage door and close it. The door should stop before impacting the box. This auto reverse feature is important to the safety of your entire family so if the door impacts the box, you need to have it fixed as quickly as possible.
List Cost-Saving Plans
During your bi-annual professional inspection, you will get a checklist of items that will need to be inspected and possibly repaired. Make sure you add this stuff to your plan because it’s important. These recommendations will provide you with the opportunity to take a more proactive approach and will make sure that your garage door is operating at peak efficiency.
Follow the technician’s recommendations so that you do not have to spend a fortune in huge repairs later down the road.
Always Remember that You Have the Final Say
Even when you hire a professional, you always have the final say with any installation or repair work. Never let a technician bully you into making decisions that benefit them. You should get a quote and then see if you’re comfortable with it. Only then should you follow-through.
Technicians should provide recommendations but it’s ultimately up to the owner whether to follow through or not. Techs that are pushy are not very professional.
Closing Thoughts
There are a ton of benefits to having a preventative maintenance plan in place so your garage door will operate at its best. I encourage you to have a professional inspection done at least twice per year while you are inspecting the system every month.
