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Maintenance of Garage Doors
Because it has a number of moving parts and is generally more open to the elements, any garage door you have installed needs to be regularly maintained to ensure that it lasts as long as possible. Whether you have spent just a couple of hundred pounds on your door or up to a thousand, settling on a regular maintenance regime is a good idea.
If you do not have the necessary DIY skills to properly check your door and carry out any minor repairs, then it is always a good idea to contact a qualified professional to do it for you.
The Doors Themselves
A lot will depend on which material your garage doors are made from but most are pretty easy to maintain. Here are some simple tips for different door types:
For GRP or fibreglass doors: This is fairly low maintenance. Simply wash down the door with running water every so often. If the sheen of the door begins to fade over time you can clean and then add a polishing paste. If there has been damage to the door, it can be repaired but you probably need to get a professional in to do it.
For uPVC doors: uPVC doors generally come unpainted and are just as low maintenance as GRP. All you need is some diluted washing liquid, a sponge and then wipe off with a dry cloth to keep it in relatively pristine condition.
For aluminium/steel doors: Keeping your metal doors clear of dust and grime can ensure that they always open properly, particularly if they are the slatted variety. Painted steel doors may need to be redone every five years or so with a primer and gloss coat but this is not a major undertaking.
For wood doors: This is where it gets more complicated as wood needs more maintenance than other materials. If it is not properly looked after, your door can warp, split or swell. This means you need to treat it with a good wood stain and this needs to be done almost every year.
The Operating Mechanism
Even if you just have a manual door then you will need to carry out some form of maintenance on the mechanism. That can include cleaning off dust and dirt and checking for rust. You can keep an eye on this yourself and use something like WD40 to keep the springs, rails and rollers operating properly. If you have a new garage door and there is a warranty attached to it, this will probably be dependent on you getting a qualified maintenance person in to give it the once over every year.
Any automatic garage door definitely needs a professional in every now and again to make sure there are no problems and to clean the mechanism. This ensures that operating pressures are correct and things like the safety cut out and manual overrides are working properly. Doing this yourself can be a major undertaking and if you get it wrong can invalidate your warranty.
Industrial Garage Doors
Larger installations, of course, need more maintenance. They are used more regularly and take the brunt of the coming and going of regular, large volume traffic which means they are more likely to encounter problems over time. It can have a damaging effect on many businesses if something like a door cannot be opened or closed. Most companies that operate industrial or commercial garage doors will have a regular maintenance contract with emergency call out in case of any problems. The cost is well worth it.
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