DIY garage door repair can be daunting for any average person, but it doesn’t have to be. You can tackle repairs and maintenance tasks with the right knowledge, tools, and safety precautions.
This article will cover which tasks are safe to attempt independently and how to get started with DIY garage door repair. Following these tips will give you confidence in tackling your next project! You’ll also save time and money by not hiring a professional.
1) Basic Maintenance and Lubrication
For a garage door to work properly, it needs regular maintenance and lubrication. Regular preventative maintenance is essential for its effectiveness. The following methods are mostly recommended to use for maintaining your garage door system:
Cleaning
As dust, dirt, and debris accumulate inside the tracks and on other components, they can cause the system to malfunction. Regularly clean out these areas using a soft cloth or brush.
Lubrication
Garage doors require regular lubrication to ensure they move smoothly without any resistance. Once every three months, use a silicon-based spray lubricant to lube the springs, hinges, rollers, and other moving parts. Avoid using any oil-based lubricants, as these can damage the components.
Adjustments
From time to time, you will need to adjust the springs’ tension to continue functioning properly. It may also require changing the door height and lining up the tracks to parallel each other. It is best to have a professional for any adjustments as it requires special tools and knowledge of garage door functionality.
2) Batteries and light bulbs
Dead batteries are common in garage doors, and instructions are provided for replacing batteries. It is also possible to replace the light bulbs in your garage door. Install a new bulb of the same wattage after unscrewing the cover.
Be sure to turn off the power to your garage door system before replacing batteries or light bulbs. Whenever possible, replace your parts with genuine replacements designed for your model. By doing so, you can ensure compatibility and minimize potential problems.
Lastly, open and close your garage door from outside with remotes and wall controls after replacing batteries or light bulbs.
3) Adjusting tracks and springs
Adjusting the tracks and springs of your garage door is a job best left to a professional. It requires special tools, knowledge, and experience to do it correctly and safely. Attempting such repairs without the proper training can result in injury or damage to property.
However, you can still make minor adjustments yourself. If your garage door is uneven or not closing completely, you can adjust this by using an adjustable wrench or pliers. Turn the adjustment bolts on each side until they open and close properly. Again, remember that a professional technician should only make major changes as they require special tools and expertise.
4) Explain about replacing weatherstripping
Weatherstripping is important to your garage door system because it helps keep water, debris, and pests out. The material will wear over time, become damaged, or wear out and need to be replaced.
It’s easy to do this by prying off the old weather stripping with a hammer and nail and replacing it with new weather stripping. Make sure the new strips fit properly before cutting them. For extra moisture protection, use caulk along the edges after installing the new weatherstripping.
5) Replacing Rollers
Garage door rollers are an integral part of the system as they help provide smooth and reliable operation. Having problems closing your garage door or making loud noises could mean you need to replace the rollers.
You can perform it relatively easily. Start by removing the old roller from the track. Remove the mounting brackets from each side of the roller using a screwdriver. After placing the new roller in its position, reattach both mounting brackets to the roller with screws.
6) Cleaning the photo eye sensors
Garage door openers have photo eye sensors that detect when an object is in the way and stops the garage door from closing. Over time, these sensors can become dirty or clogged with debris, preventing them from functioning properly.
Fortunately, you can easily clean the photo eye sensor yourself by using a damp cloth to wipe away any dirt and dust that may have accumulated on the lenses. Additionally, it’s important to check for obstructions, such as spider webs or leaves, blocking the sensors’ line of sight. Once everything is clean, test your opener by opening and closing it from outside with remotes and wall controls.
7) Troubleshooting common issues
Garage doors may not operate properly for a variety of reasons. Before attempting any repair work, it’s a good idea to perform basic troubleshooting to identify the problem’s root cause.
Check things such as the power connector, motor unit, remote controls, wall controls, sensors, tracks, and springs for signs of damage or wear. If you are still looking for any obvious problem areas, call a professional with experience who can easily handle garage doors and their components.
8) Safety precautions
It is always important to take safety precautions when performing garage door maintenance. Ensure the power is off before attempting any repairs, and keep children and pets away while working. Additionally, only try major adjustments or repairs after consulting a professional, which could result in injury or property damage.
9) Calling in a professional
Though there are plenty of tasks that you can tackle yourself, it’s important to know when to call in a professional. You can do a few of the minor adjustments by yourself but there are some situations where you may need professional assistance such as replacing broken springs or cables, with the proper training and experience.
DIY garage door repair can be intimidating, but with the right information and safety precautions, you can take on many tasks yourself! From lubrication and battery replacement to track alignment and spring tensioning- these simple maintenance tasks can prevent more expensive problems in the long run.
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