This blog post tells homeowners how to keep their garage door operating at an optimal level. From lubricating door parts to realigning sensors, the post will explain the different aspects of caring for your garage door.

Preventing the Breakdown: How to Keep Your Garage Door Working

Your garage door may look simple, but it is more dangerous than it looks. You should never fix your garage door unless you have a lot of experience doing this task. The garage door springs have a high potential for injury. Its held energy could cause harm or even death if the energy is not properly released. Technicians who work on your garage in Orange County use tools that release the tension in the springs so that they can then make repairs.

While you should not attempt to make major repairs on your garage, you need to do necessary inspections and maintenance tasks so that minor problems don’t become more dangerous at a later date. Most homeowners can do the following tasks on a regular basis.

Lubrication and Track Cleaning

You shouldn’t have to deal with a squeaky garage door. Don’t lubricate your garage door with WD-40. WD-40 does not work as a long-term lubricant. Silicone or lithium sprays can lubricate springs, rollers, and chains.

You don’t always need to grease the tracks. Improper lubrication in this area can attract unwanted dust and interfere with the garage door’s system. You should clean the tracks on a regular basis. You can clean the tracks with a damp cloth. If you see a sticky residue, use a solvent cleaner for metals.

How to Realign the Garage Door Sensors

The garage opener works with sensors that tell you when the door is either open all the way or completely closed. The sensors also alert you when an obstruction keeps the door from closing. If your sensors aren’t aligned, your door and its safety features may not work. The sensors sit on the bottom of the garage door on either side. The sensors can get bumped by people or items. A gentle nudge should realign them. Indicator lights come on one or both of the sensors. Interrupt the light with your hand to see how the sensors react. Use your hands to adjust the sensors until they have a direct sight line. If you aligned the sensors, but they’re still not operating properly, inspect them to see if they’re clean. Something small like spider webs could throw the garage sensor out of whack.

Resetting Your Garage Opener

If your door remote no longer works, the remote might need to get reset. First, try changing the batteries. If that doesn’t work, then try to reset the door remote. The reset process usually involves unplugging the garage door, plugging it back in, and attempting to use the remote again. You can also find your garage remote reset instructions in the owner’s manual.