Inspecting your Antioch Garage Door is a very good idea that could save you money

It can pay dividends for Antioch homeowners to inspect their garage doors. 
It can also ensure that the garage doors operate safely.

To maintain safety and effectiveness of your Antioch garage door and your garage door opener, it is recommended that you conduct regular, routine inspections. Most homeowners can do this themselves. If you feel uncomfortable doing it yourself, or you are uncertain what to look for, don’t hesitate to call in a trusted garage door professional. They can perform this service on your behalf. However, this guide should help you conduct your own inspection.

The best time to do an inspection in Antioch is during the warmer months. It’s simply not as convenient in the winter when the weather can make it uncomfortable for you while affecting the way the garage door operates. Perform this as you handle your annual maintenance of oiling and lubing the garage door assembly, another good idea mentioned in an earlier article. Doing this once a year suffices unless performance of the garage door falters, or noises give you cause for concern.

Key things to check in a garage door inspection:

• Look for gunpowder-like residue near hinges
• Check for cracked or damaged rubber parts and seals
• Check for gaps in springs
• Check the balance of the garage door
• Check force adjustments
• Check beams and safety eyes
• Don’t worry – below you’ll find an explanation of the points above.

A black powdery residue that looks like gunpowder will appear just below the hinges when something wears excessively. This indicates that something no longer works properly and is wearing down the metal parts. This is a situation where it is absolutely better to contact a professional.

Flexibility matters with the rubber parts in your garage door assembly, such as the seals along the bottom and sides of your garage door. If they feel hard or brittle, they need to be replaced. Wear and replacement of this part is a normal process. Most homeowners can do this repair themselves.

As springs get worn, you will notice gaps in the spring. This means that they need to be replaced. This is more noticeable on extension springs than on torsion springs. However, even a worn garage door spring is loaded with enough pressure to seriously hurt someone who doesn’t know how to replace the spring. CONTACT A PROFESSIONAL garage door technician for anything to do with your garage door springs.

Refer to your owner’s manual for instructions on how to check the force adjustments.

Most of the garage door and garage door opener repairs found during these inspections can be handled by a homeowner. If anything feels too hard or if it is something you just don't want to deal with, once again, call a garage door professional.

These repairs are better handled by a professional to ensure safety and performance:

• Spring replacement
• Adjusting spring tension
• Door balancing
• Resetting force adjustment

Routine garage door and garage door opener inspections can increase the effectiveness and safety of garage door operation and help reduce utility costs in Northern Illinois. In the process, you can extend the life of the garage door and garage door opener.