Wash your door regularly
Wash the door with a mild detergent, such as car detergent, and a car brush. Thoroughly rinse the surface with a garden hose. Avoid abrasive cleaners and strong detergents. Never use an electric pressure washer. Waxing your garage door once a year with car wax will protect its lustre and revive the shine it may have lost due to acid rain and UV rays. For best results, never apply wax in direct sunlight. If the door is facing south or south-west, avoid dark colours since they absorb more heat. Whether the garage door is made of steel, aluminium, or wood, southern exposure to the sun tends to damage the paint much faster. This is especially true for applied paint.
Caring for the weather-stripping found around frame and bottom edge
If it is made of rubber (quality PVC), use a multi-purpose cleaner for vinyl, such as the one used on outdoor furniture. Rinse well with a garden hose. Lubricate weather-stripping every other month, or more, according to how often the garage door is used. For this purpose, use a silicone-based product.
Never use a petroleum-based lubricant since petroleum is known to adversely affect the elastic properties of rubber. Rubber weather-stripping must remain flexible to be an efficient barrier.
Tracks, hinges, rollers, and springs
Lubricate rollers and hinges with a little motor oil (e.g.: 10W30). Do not use any petroleum- based lubricant because, aside from lubricating, it has the property of degreasing. Use motor oil for the tracks, especially in their curved sections. Springs basically require the same treatment. Apply motor oil to them and wipe off excess oil with a cloth. This simple trick will help prolong their useful life.
Garaga has launched 2 products for the lubrication of its garage door components: a metal lubricant for the tracks, rollers and hinges, and a weatherstrip lubricant for the frame and bottom weatherstripping.
You can find these products at a Garaga Expert dealer near you.
The electric garage door opener
- Maintenance of your electric operator should be done once a month. Work the door manually. It must be well balanced. If the door is not balanced, contact a qualified garage door installer.
- Check if your garage door opens and closes completely. If necessary, adjust limits and/or force. Most garage doors openers come with two knobs for these adjustments. Consult your owner's manual.
- Check the safety reversing sensor. The door must reverse on contact if an object or a person is under it. Also, check if your photo sensors are correctly plugged in and aligned. The door should reverse if any object passes through the beam.
- Garage door openers do not require additional lubrication.
- Do not permit children to play with the opener. Keep the remote control out of children's reach.
Some friendly advice from GARAGA
Consider your garage door as an important part of your home. Perform the suggested maintenance on it and it will provide you with carefree convenience for many years to come. We recommend that you have the garage door inspected by a qualified installer at least once a year. For your own safety, never attempt to adjust the springs, the lower hinges, or the hoisting cables yourself because of the inherent risk associated with the great deal of tension in the springs. Call a GARAGA-certified installer to handle the work for you.