New Year’s resolutions I should make to ensure that my garage door works properly at all times

Did you know that between 8 and 10 percent of people manage to keep their New Year’s resolutions? Are you one of them? Here are six resolutions you should make to ensure that your garage door works properly all year long, especially when you need it most.

Like you, most people use their garage for more than just parking their car. During the cold season, you park your vehicle inside the garage to avoid having to clean the snow off it or so it isn’t freezing cold when you get into it. But during the warmer months, your garage can be transformed into a sort of storage room where things are often piled up one on top of the other. It can become a big hassle just to clear a path to look for your gardening tools.

In order to take advantage of all the space your garage has to offer, take the time to browse a few websites, like Pinterest or Houzz, where you’ll find plenty of great storage ideas. This way, your garage won’t become a place where you accumulate a bunch of old stuff you don’t know what to do with. The key to success is drawing up a true-to-scale plan on graph paper, in addition to making a to-do list… in keeping with your budget, of course.

All too often, we take it for granted that everything’s fine with our garage door. You push the button on the control and “Open Sesame!” the door opens, and when you push the button again, the door closes. Like most homeowners, you and your family usually use the garage door to get into your house. That’s why it’s so important to take a few minutes to perform a visual inspection to verify that your garage door is working properly.

You should do a quick check like this at least once a month, and certain parts, like the rollers, hinges and spring system, should be lubricated twice a year (before and after the cold season). It will only take you a few minutes, and by doing it, you’ll prevent a lot of problems.

Would you know what to do in the event of a power failure in your neighborhood? How would you open and close your garage door and, at the same time, secure it so no one could get into your home and burglarize it?

Here’s a crash course: pull the red emergency cord, lift the garage door open, back your vehicle out and then re-close the door by returning the door opener release mechanism to its original place… Have you tested it just in case? If so, were you able to lift your garage door easily with one hand? If not, take a moment to learn more by reading this.

Did you know that many burglaries are committed by robbers who got into the residence using the garage door? How could this happen? The first mistake is that people don’t lock their car doors, even when they’re parked outside the garage. You should keep your doors locked at all times, day and night, whether at home, at a shopping center or at any other public place.

Another mistake to avoid is leaving your garage door remote in plain sight inside your vehicle. This includes leaving it clipped to the sun visor. To protect yourself, use a mini remote that attaches to your keyring. Garage door openers manufactured in 2014 or later offer an even better option: you can open and close the garage door using your smartphone.