How to Avoid Damaging Your Garage Door – The garage is a practical, multipurpose component of many homes.
While, to some, its function doesn’t go beyond serving as the designated “room” for vehicles, it isn’t just another parking spot to everybody.
A garage can also double as extra storage space; some will even partly or completely convert it into an at-home gym, studio, office, workshop, or playroom.
Really, just about anything a creative mind can think of.
Yes, there are many possibilities of what a garage can be, but these exciting things do not come without a price.
Whether it be for one thing or many, any garage that gets used at all is always exposed to risks of damage, especially the garage door.
While this tends to be one of the least of a homeowner’s worries, a garage door left damaged is a breeding ground for far more hazards than one might think.
So, whether or not it is a multipurpose garage, all owners should take precautionary measures to prevent their overhead doors from slowly or suddenly falling apart.
What are some ways to avoid damaging an overhead door and spending too much on serious repairs?
Below are the answers to the question.
Clear the area around the door
It’s all too easy for a garage door to get bumps, scratches, and dents by allowing random things to lean on or stand too close to it.
Even things that don’t seem like they topple easily, say a large bicycle parked in the way, can unexpectedly go flying against a garage door on a stormy day.
To keep unwanted objects from leaving unsightly marks, the immediate space surrounding a garage door is best kept relatively free.
Tighten nuts and bolts
They might sound like minor parts, but secured nuts and bolts are what keeps an overhead door from excessive shaking.
In fact, one unfastened bolt can result in the entire door vibrating, and prolonged vibration can mess with a door’s general movement, which may eventually knock its other components out of order.
Wax and seal
An aluminum overhead door is particularly prone to rust and corrosion.
An excellent way to prevent this is to give it a good waxing after a wash, preferably once every six months.
Wooden garage doors, on the other hand, can be sealed and made less prone to impact by natural outdoor elements such as the weather.
Different types of doors will have varying requirements, and knowing which methods suit which doors is vital.
Invest in a reinforcement bracket
Adding this frame to an overhead door can help protect its structure from the effects of intense weather.
It is possible to work on this as a DIY project, but many reputable overhead door repair companies offer this installment as a service.
Upgrade lighting
Lots of accidents can happen in dark or dimly lit areas.
Improving the lighting inside and outside of a garage can make it easier to see potential hazards threatening an overhead door, especially when using or working around it at night.
Pay attention
There are so many ways to safeguard and avoid ruining an excellent old or new garage door.
However, above all these tips is an important reminder to observe an overhead door’s performance and total state habitually.
Be careful when parking or leaving in a hurry;
getting overconfident with one’s driving skills or familiarity with one’s own garage space can lead to disappointments.
Regular checkups help owners notice minor issues that can and should be dealt with immediately to avoid worse ones from accumulating.
For example, little dents are not always just small unaesthetic bothers;
dents that go unnoticed or left as is can interfere with a door’s opening, closing, overall alignment, and even protection from moisture, water damage, and corrosion.
One recommended professional measure is to get regular garage door servicing from respectable companies.
DIY repairs are an option, but don’t always produce the most satisfying outcomes.
Expert technicians who know the ins and outs of what they are doing can guarantee better maintenance than the everyday householder.
It may cost a little more, but it is well worth the safety and convenience of a home and the people who live in it.
