If your garage door is maintained properly, it will give you years of trouble free service. However, people tend to ignore the regular maintenance part of a garage door and they don’t even clean it until it starts to give them some major problems. You can buy a door in steel, wood or fibreglass, but with all of these you need to take care of the maintenance part. If you do take proper care of the door, it will not only operate properly, but it will also add years to the life of it. If you have a heated garage, then the door will keep the temperature in check. A door that is properly maintained will have the right seals to keep the air from seeping in. A door that is not maintained may have a broken or cracked seal that may allow air to seep inside, causing the temperature inside to fluctuate. Even if your garage is not heated or temperature controlled, you will still want the door to be in perfect condition so that it prevents any excess air or dust from entering the house. In many house designs, a bedroom or an office is directly over the garage. If the door is not sealed, then it may allow cold air to come in and it will rob the warmth from inside the house. This will increase your electricity bill as your heater may have to run for a longer time to keep the temperature in check. When thinking about the maintenance of a garage door, you need to keep certain points in mind to enhance the efficiency, longevity and the overall appearance of the door.
Maintenance
The very basic step of the maintenance of a garage door starts with cleaning it. When you clean the garage door, it removes all the dirt and debris from the surface, making it look new and clean. If your door is made of steel and you find some spots of rust in places, then you need to get the door painted. When the door is exposed to the sun and snow for years, it develops the signs of rust over a period of time. The original paint can begin to fade, peel or become brittle. To make sure that the foundation of the door is intact you need to get the door painted for a longer life. Here are some few things you should keep in mind while painting.
Start by removing every bit of the old paint. Use a good quality scraper or wire brush to do the job. You can also use an orbital sander to scrape off the paint. Once all the loose paint is removed, check the surface for any dents. The material of the door must be prepped to accept the new coat of paint. If you have a wooden door, after scrapping the paint, you need to prime the bare wood first. For a steel door, use the correct grade sandpaper to sand off the rust and apply a primer before the final coat of paint. Always use good quality paint and apply two thin coats to the surface. It is advisable that you repaint the door once every three years to avoid any rust on the door. It will make the door look like new and will take care of all the rotting, warping and rusting.
Weather Proofing
Even if you have a properly maintained garage door, you still need to take care of the weather proofing. The tiny gap around the door needs to be covered using a rubber strip called weather stripping. What weather stripping does is it prevents the air and dust from entering the garage, which might harm your equipment or other things in the house. Over a period of time, the rubber in the strips may become hard or brittle and develop cracks. These cracks allow the air to seep in and that will cause the air to enter. The strip could also be damaged by the lawnmower or hit by the car of bicycle. Damaged weather stripping should always be replaced immediately.
You can look in any hardware store for replacement weather stripping. The strips generally come in either brown or white as they are the most popular garage door colours. The strip comes with a plastic piece and that can be fitted directly on the garage door.
To attach the strip, begin by carefully removing the damaged weather stripping. You can use a hammer or a metal scale to pull it off but you need to be careful that you don’t damage the door in the process. A timber garage door needs to be given extra care as you might end up damaging the frame. Once the weather stripping is removed completely, continue by attaching the new strip. You can follow the old lines to perfectly install the new one. It is recommended that you place the weather stripping with the garage door is in the closed position. After applying the new strips, check for any mistakes and close the door to see if there are any gaps or not.
These regular maintenance tips for your wooden garage door will help it perform like new for many years. Though to many people it may seem like an additional expense, if you compare the price of a new door, then you can calculate how much you can save by maintaining the door on the regular basis.
If you have some major problems with the door, and you can’t fix it yourself, then it is always advisable to call in the experts to take care of it. Garage door professionals know their job and they will do all the maintenance checks on their own. A regular garage door check can be easily done by you and if you find any trouble then don’t be afraid to ask for expert advice.
