A garage door is one of those moving parts in your house that gets a whole lot of use opening and closing six times a day on average. It is therefore important to have it checked regularly to avoid running into trouble and have your door function smoothly and effectively. You should schedule to have your garage door serviced and thorough maintenance procedures carried out once every three months and anytime it calls for it to avoid running into costly repairs in the long term. These regular checks include cleaning the tracks and lubricating to prevent bidding and dragging when raising or lowering, which makes it more difficult to operate.

All you need to know is a few tips and tricks to have a well-maintained garage door that moves and works as effectively as a new one.

How to know its time to clean your garage door tracks

You’ll realize that garage door tracks and rollers will always tell you when it’s time for some maintenance. The door tracks become sticky and movement makes some squeaking noise. Applying a lubricant at this point will not help but will, in turn, affect the smooth functioning of the door as it will simply lead to the accumulation of particulate matter that will harden and make the movement of the door even rougher and noisier.

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You should first clean the door track. This is a simple procedure that won’t take much of your time. Below is a step-by-step guide to clean the garage door tracks. For a thorough clean-up job, you’ll need a clean damp cloth to wipe the inside of the tracks, a dry piece of cloth to wipe dry the tracks, a vacuum cleaner to suck out debris on parts you can’t reach easily.

1. Close the garage door to allow yourself access to the tracks and all the moving parts. 
2. Disconnect the power supply to the garage door for your safety.
3. Using a damp cloth, wipe the inside part of both tracks and remove all dust. Note: the tracks are what the metal rollers run on as the door opens and closes. They’ll need to be completely cleaned to allow the door to operate smoothly.
4. An automotive brake cleaner can be used to clean grime from the tracks for better results.
5. Vacuum parts of the tracks that may be high up and unreachable. A vacuum with a hose is preferable to suck out all dust and dirt from the tracks.
6. Once the garage door track is clean and dry you can apply a suitable garage door lubricant. It’s important to note that some lubricants will leave your door tracks with more sticky residue than others. A good lubricant works well for all the parts, doesn’t attract dust, protects against rust and corrosion, and withstands cold and hot weather. 

You will need to lubricate other parts of the garage door such as the metal rollers, hinges, chain rail, ball bearings, armbar, nubs, stems, and the lock. Note the following as you lubricate the following parts.

Open the garage door manually as you lubricate hinges. Work on applying lubricant as the hinge meets the bend on the track (the points where the hinges pivot). Do not apply lubricant to plastic hinges to prevent them from degrading. 

Apply a generous amount of lubricant on the springs and bearing plates. The springs are located at the top of your garage door and the bearing plates are on both sides of the springs. A ladder may be needed for easy access to the springs. It’s advisable to replace the springs if they are worn out ( this is done in pairs). If still in perfect shape, spray down near the center of the bearing plates and on the outer part of the springs. Open and close the garage door to allow for an even spread of the lubricant.

Lubricate the armbar and lock. This will help prevent rusting and allow for easy opening and closing of your garage door. Finish by applying lubricant on the large armbar at the top of the garage door.

Lastly, lubricate the rail. The rail is the uppermost part that runs along the garage ceiling on which the chain runs along. Lubricate the rail by spraying grease and spreading it around using a piece of cloth. On the other hand, the chain comes with a natural protectant so it doesn’t require to be lubricated regularly.

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You can now power on your garage door and enjoy a door that runs as effectively and smoothly just like a new one. Keeping a well-maintained door should be attainable with this simple routine. It will also guarantee you an extended life to your door in the long run and zero nasty experiences with jammed doors.