Maintaining Your Garage Door for Safety and Longevity

 Posted on January 22, 2025 in Garage Doors

Many of us tend to take our garage door for granted despite the fact that it is the largest moving object in our homes. Garage doors are heavy, get lots of use, have plenty of moving parts, and can be costly to replace. Yet while we may be vigilant about ensuring regular oil changes and maintenance for our vehicles, garage doors are largely ignored – until they stop working or start making an unusual amount of noise.

We should ensure our garage doors are regularly maintained, find small, fixable problems before they become serious problems, and replace garage doors when required. If you are unsure exactly what is involved in garage door maintenance, read on! If you are having issues with your garage door, the best thing you can do is call a licensed Downer’s Grove, IL garage-building and repair expert from Blue Sky Builders, Inc..

Our company is in its 45th year of service to more than 50 communities in the western suburbs, northern and southern suburbs, and the Chicago area. We will not only ensure your garage door is in perfect condition but can also help you replace old, drafty garage windows, update or replace garage roofs and siding, and update steel entry door systems.

How to Get the Most Life from Your Garage Door

There are many different ways you can ensure your garage door continues working efficiently while remaining attractive. These include:

Limit Your Use of the Garage Door

The more wear and tear a garage door gets, the more likely it is to have problems. Many people use their garage door as their entry door, even when they are not putting their vehicle in the garage. Use your home’s entry doors unless you are actually parking your car inside the garage. The "typical" garage door has five to 10 up-down cycles each and every day, which means – at a minimum – that the springs will likely have to be replaced within a couple of years. Yet at two cycles per day, those same springs could easily last for seven to eight years.

Schedule Regular Garage Door Inspections

Most of us tend to ignore the garage door until it stops working. Regular garage door inspections (two times per year are recommended) will tell you whether there are issues with springs, cables, pulleys, rollers, hinges, or panels before you are unable to open the door. Regular inspections can save you much larger outlays of cash when the garage door fails.

Perform Your Own Garage Door Inspections Periodically

While it is always a good idea to schedule professional garage door inspections, in between these inspections, there are certain things you can do. You can check the brackets that hold the tracks to the walls and ceilings and remove any debris from the tracks on both sides of the door. If you are a regular DIY-er, you can use a socket wrench to tighten loose bolts caused by door vibration.

Keep Garage Door Rollers Lubricated

A couple of times a year, spray WD-40 or another lubricant on rollers and hinges, wiping off any excess. When dust collects on these parts, noise can result. A lubricant breaks down rust and corrosion, keeping your garage door in tip-top shape.

Replace the Weatherstripping on Your Garage Door

Rubber weatherstripping keeps out the cold, dust, debris, and water. You can purchase weatherstripping for your garage door at any home improvement store. The weatherstripping has a flange that slides into a groove at the bottom of the garage door (Weatherstripping for wood garage doors may be nailed into place.

Contact a DuPage County, IL Garage Repair and Replacement Company

Learning how to maintain your garage door is key to ensuring it gives you many years of efficient operation. Our Chicago, IL garage-building and repair experts can help. When you choose Blue Sky Builders, Inc., you will benefit from a free on-site consultation from highly experienced garage door professionals. Call us at 630-852-8485 today to discuss your garage door issues.