How often do you get your garage door serviced? Nothing is as frustrating as getting your vehicle stuck in the garage because the door is faulty. In a worst-case scenario, the door can hurt someone or damage your car if it collapses.

Like your vehicle, a garage door must be serviced regularly. Unfortunately, most homeowners rarely think of garage door service until something goes wrong. It's essential to know that service saves you money in the long run and also prolongs the life of the garage door. A door that functions effectively promotes the safety of your car, belongings, and family in general.

How Often Should Your Garage Door Be Serviced?

Experts recommend getting your door maintained every ten to twelve months. When the experts get to your home, they will start by running a safety check of the brackets, fixings and the entire structure. The wire cables will be checked for condition and tension. The spring tension of the brackets and hinges will also be adjusted, among other tasks like noise minimisation, recalibration of the safety reversal system and automatic door opener, including the lubrication of the moving parts. Finally, a complete audit of the door health is done.

What of Do-It-Yourself Maintenance?

If you're a DIYer, and you wouldn't mind maintaining your door before the servicing date, there are some things you can do. This includes:

Lubricating the components of the door — all the metal parts need to be lubricated with a non-silicon lubricant like WD-40. But, ensure the oil doesn't get to the door track and nylon rollers. Consider using a cloth and brake cleaner to oil the door track.

Keeping the door parts clean — running a cloth over parts of the door will remove any debris or dirt that could prevent your door from operating correctly. Cleaning the door components also aids in checking if there are breakages in the moving parts.

Testing the door balance — conducting a balance test on your garage door helps assess if some components are failing or need to be checked. Try closing and opening the door manually to see if it is opening smoothly. If it doesn't, you may realise that lubricating the rollers or springs will help the door work seamlessly again. Then, disconnect the garage door from the opener by pulling out the red release cord. Finally, open the door halfway and let it go. Under normal circumstances, the door mustn't rise nor slam to the surface. If any of these situations take place, the door is out of balance.