As one of the largest and most frequently used pieces of equipment in your home, your garage door suffers a lot of wear and tear. For this reason it requires regular maintenance to keep it in good working order. Below are four top garage door maintenance tips.

Listen and Look

Your garage door will generally let you know when it has a problem. If you get into the habit of observing how the door operates every time you use it, it will be easy to hear squeaks or grinding noises or feel when the swing of the door isn't as smooth as it should be. As soon as you notice any issues you should investigate further and take action to fix the problem.

Lubricate

There are few things more annoying than a squeaky garage door. You should lubricate your garage door at least once a year, or whenever it begins to make a noise. First you should wipe away dirt and debris that have collected in the hinges, springs and the track system. Then apply a silicone spray to all moving parts. Open and close the door a number of times to allow the oil to lubricate all moving parts.

Check the Door is Balanced

If a garage door is incorrectly balanced, the door will be more difficult to open and is more likely to breakdown due to the uneven forces being applied to the moving parts. To test the balance, simply disconnect the opener by pulling the release handle and then manually lift the door until it is around halfway up. If the door is balanced it will stay in place. If the door begins to move, it means that the counterweight springs are not properly balanced. It is recommended that only professional technicians adjust counterweight springs.

Inspect the Weather Strip

You should examine the rubber weather strip which runs along the bottom of the garage door. This strip is designed to keep water, wind, dust and debris from blowing underneath the door. If the weather strip shows signs of damage it should be replaced immediately. You should be able to buy weather stripping from local hardware stores which can be cut to the correct length to fit your door.

By carrying out regular maintenance of your garage door you will be able to spot problems before they become major issues, meaning it will work perfectly every time you open or close it.