Kenosha CDL drivers should not neglect maintenance of trailer overhead doors

While folks in the Kenosha may not get out driving as much in these days of sheltering-in-place, as a truck driver, you’re probably as busy as ever. This means that you’re raising and lowering that overhead door in the back of the trailer with increased frequency.

Using an overhead door naturally causes wear and tear on the door. It’s inevitable. But is there anything you can do about it? Of course, there is. Just as maintenance of the overhead door of the garage at your Kenosha home, or the loading dock doors where you pick up and deliver goods will extend the service life of those overhead doors, maintenance of the overhead door in the back of your trailer will make a difference.

Maintenance includes lubricating springs and hinges. It also means adjusting the door for peak performance.

You don’t have to lubricate or adjust the overhead door on the back of your trailer every day – not even every week or month. But when is the last time you did maintain the overhead door in your trailer? If you’re like most CDL drivers, it’s probably been a while.

Maintenance of your trailer’s overhead door will help you to avoid situations where springs break, where hinges give way, where the door gets jammed because it isn’t going up or down evenly. But maintenance of the overhead door will do more than that.

Maintaining the overhead door in the back of your trailer will ensure that the door operates smoothly and easily. If you’ve been fighting with the overhead door in back there’s a good chance that, if nothing else, it could use some maintenance. Of course, it’s possible it already requires repairs, but we don’t want to jump to the worst conclusions.

One note of safety: if the overhead door in back of your trailer does require repairs, approach the process with extreme caution. In fact, it’s probably best that you call in a pro. Just like the springs in your Kenosha garage or loading dock are under extreme pressure, so are the springs in your trailer’s overhead door. You can get hurt or worse if something goes wrong.

10 Tips for Securing Your Garage

Your garage is a place where you park your cars and store things. You may even use it, occasionally for leisure and hosting. It’s a great addition to your home. But is it secure?

You can’t take garage security for granted. If you do, it becomes the weak point where the nefarious in our society can gain entry, whether they intend to steal, vandalize, or cause harm. Therefore, securing your garage is as important as securing your home. Here are some tips to consider when securing your garage:

1. Don’t leave high-dollar toys sitting in the garage, in public view, for extended periods of time. If you can, secure these items in the garage so that they’re not visible to people passing by in the street or on the sidewalk. Otherwise, try not to leave the garage door open unnecessarily where those less scrupulous individuals can scope out your garage and your possessions.
2. Don’t forget to close the garage door. Of course, this is critical when you’re not home as people can gain access to the garage and, potentially, the house while you’re not there and are unaware. But, if you are home, this creates another issue – the safety of you and your loved ones.
3. Add some lighting to the area around your garage. People who are up to no good prefer to act in the shadows. Casting light around your garage, possibly with the use of motion sensors, is a great way to discourage those whose motives run off the tracks somewhat.
4. Avoid providing shields for would-be burglars, etc., around your garage. Sheds, bushes, items left outside can provide hiding places for those who want to break into your garage. Take a strategic look around your garage and try to deny those opportunities for folks with ill intent.
5. Secure doors and windows. Deadbolts may not keep bad guys out, but they’ll slow them down. Deadbolts on the windows, on the service door, and on the garage door can prove frustrating for someone trying to break in.
6. Strategically plant some prickly bushes. No, you don’t want bushes that provide cover for someone trying to get into your garage. But some low bushes that are uncomfortable to come into contact with can deter someone outside your garage. Putting prickly bushes under the windows is a great idea.
7. Have your garage door adjusted so burglars and such can’t use the old trick of pushing back the top panel of your garage door and grabbing the release cable. You can also have a garage door release cable shield installed.
8. Secure the door inside your garage that leads to your home. Chances are, there are things far more precious inside your home than inside your garage. If someone can break into your garage, and the inner door is unlocked, they can walk right in. Secure this door and they’re now at another level of security.
9. Don’t leave your garage door opener clipped to the visor of your car. Those with disreputable intentions simply have to break into your car to get into your home.
10. Purchase a new garage door opener to replace that outdated model. The security with an older model of garage door opener is not up to the level of newer models. Even if your old garage door opener works, you may want to consider a newer garage door opener. You can get a garage door opener that uses an app on your phone to open the garage.