Over the winter, your garage door will go through a little more stress then during the summer. Now the the weather has warmed, it is a good time to check things out with a few simple checks.
- Tighten the nuts and bolts. Your garage door is moving all the time. Hardware can loosen over time especially when the temperature changes. Tighten all roller brackets and bolts holding the rails to the support brackets.
- Inspect the rollers
- Newer nylon rollers can crack or chip over the years. These are easy to spot. If you have steel rollers, you can spot a slight (or major) tilt when the bearings are wearing out. Replacements can be found at most hardware stores and are a simple fix. LOOKOUT! The cable is attached to the lower roller bracket and is under high tension! DO NOT REMOVE THE BOTTOM ROLLER!
- Lift Cable. The lift cable can wear out so you should look for broken strands, usually near the bottom roller bracket. If you believe that it is in need of replacement, contact a garage door professional to replace it. (high tension)
- Lubricate the chain or screw. If you have not done this in the fall, Spray on some garage door lubricant on your chain or screw. Check your owners manual to make sure your brand requires lubrication as some do not.