If you’re like many homeowners in the Bakersfield, California area, you probably don’t give much thought to your garage door — until there’s a problem. A garage door that fails to operate properly is more than just a minor inconvenience. If you can’t open your garage door, you might not be able to get your car out so you can make it to work or a doctor’s appointment. And a door that’s stuck in a partially or fully open position wastes energy and poses a safety and security risk.
The Importance of Garage Door Preventative Maintenance
Too many homeowners make the mistake of ignoring their garage doors. However, there are many forces that can impact the performance, longevity and structural integrity of a garage door over time. Examples include the weather, wear and tear caused by repeated use, the development of small cracks and fissures and the accumulation of dirt, insects and other debris that diminishes the quality of the lubricant used in the tracks and other moving parts.
Just like your car and most of the mechanical objects you own, garage doors require periodic maintenance to keep them in peak operating condition. Regular maintenance will minimize the impact of the weather and other destructive forces, while also providing the opportunity to detect and troubleshoot potential mechanical and performance issues.
If it’s been a while since you’ve received garage door preventive maintenance service, it’s possible your door might not be working as it should. Telltale signs of the need for service include:
Noisy door: Unusual noises when opening or closing your door could indicate a minor problem such as the need for spring lubrication or a more worrisome motor issue.
Difficulty during manual lifting: Although automatic garage doors normally do not require manual opening and closing, difficulty when manually lifting or lowering the door usually indicates weakened springs, which ultimately leads to total spring failure.
Uneven door: If one side of the door is lower than the other when partially opened, it usually means the door is not properly aligned. This can lead to a serious, and even potentially dangerous, snapped spring.
Dented or Damaged Door: Garage doors can receive dents or dings in many ways: Being struck by a car or bicycle, roughhousing kids, careless delivery people, etc. Dents can negatively impact door balance and increase wear and tear on the garage door system.
Performing Regular Garage Door Maintenance
Regular garage door maintenance is the best way to detect and prevent these and other typical garage door issues. Your do-it-yourself garage door preventative maintenance checklist should include removing an excess accumulation of grease from the tracks, applying lubricant to rollers and other moving parts, inspecting the door for dents, cracks and other signs of damage and cleaning and maintaining the windows. These steps will significantly reduce the likelihood of a major repair in the future.
You should have your door professionally inspected at least every two years, and older doors typically require an annual inspection. An experienced, capable garage door technician will perform a series of troubleshooting steps and take corrective measures to keep small issues from becoming serious — and expensive — repair headaches.
Expert Preventative Garage Door Maintenance in Bakersfield, CA
If you need residential garage door service in Bakersfield or elsewhere in Kern County, California, contact the professionals at King Door Company. We offer an affordable yearly maintenance plan for garage doors to keep them in proper working order.
Our comprehensive plan covers all key maintenance areas required to improve the performance and extend the lifespan of your door. Service points included in our maintenance agreement include everything from tightening the lag bolts (critical for rail maintenance) to checking hinges, rollers and door alignment. We’ll also adjust and lubricate all applicable garage system parts and components.
We Can Also Provide Useful Garage Door Preventative Maintenance Tips
As mentioned, it’s important to perform your own periodic garage door maintenance between annual or biennial inspections. King Door is always available to provide helpful tips and advice for keeping your door in top working condition. Your service technician can offer troubleshooting guidance during your garage door inspection, which you can apply to your maintenance practices.
Contact Us to Learn More About Garage Door Preventative Maintenance
King Door can serve all the garage door needs of residents in Bakersfield, CA and beyond. Contact us for more information regarding our garage door preventative maintenance service agreements today or visit our annual maintenance agreement page!
Great service from King Door! The spring on our garage door broke on a Wednesday afternoon and Thursday your employee Clayton came and repaired it. He was very knowledgeable and even corrected the angle of our receiver so it works better with the remote in our car. He even called back to the shop and had Jay come out and help him raise our garage door so we could get our car out. After Clayton finished the job, he even cleaned up so it looked better than before! Great employee! - Lance & Linda Karber
Too many homeowners make the mistake of ignoring their garage doors. However, there are many forces that can impact the performance, longevity and structural integrity of a garage door over time. Examples include the weather, wear and tear caused by repeated use, the development of small cracks and fissures and the accumulation of dirt, insects and other debris that diminishes the quality of the lubricant used in the tracks and other moving parts.