| The garage door is typically the largest moving part | | | | Verify that the tracks are level and plumb. Tracks |
| in your home and is probably used every day. With | | | | should line up parallel to the door sections without |
| normal use, parts can wear out and break, creating | | | | binding. Ensure that the lag screws securing the track |
| potential safety problems. There are a few light | | | | brackets to the jambs are secure. Replace bent, |
| maintenance duties and inspections a mechanically | | | | missing or rusted lags immediately. |
| inclined person can perform to ensure maximum | | | | Tighten all hinge and bracket screws, bear in mind |
| safety and increase the life of their door. | | | | that garage door bottom brackets are under |
| Check the rollers, hinges and safety devices to be | | | | extreme tension when the door is closed and can |
| sure they are fastened securely and in proper | | | | cause serious injury if accidentally or deliberately |
| working order. | | | | loosened or removed. Replace bent or broken hinges. |
| Check the balance of the door by lifting it a few feet | | | | Check the door's rollers for excessive wobble and |
| off the ground and releasing. The door should not | | | | replace as necessary. |
| travel more than a couple of inches in either direction. | | | | All garage door openers manufactured and installed |
| If the door drops to the ground then your springs | | | | after 1991 are required by law to have a reversing |
| either need adjusting or replacing. When operated | | | | mechanism. Garage door openers manufactured and |
| manually a garage door should go up and down | | | | installed after 1993 are required to have photo eyes |
| smoothly. | | | | connected at the bottom of the track to trigger the |
| In the event of spring failure extension springs can | | | | reverse mechanism when an infrared beam is broken. |
| cause severe damage if they are not contained. If | | | | A defective or improperly adjusted reversing |
| the door's springs don't already have safety cables | | | | mechanism on your garage door opener could cause |
| installed, now would be a good time to get them | | | | damage injury and possibly death. Check your door |
| installed. Remember even the highest quality springs | | | | opener regularly to be sure that the reversing |
| eventually wear and break. | | | | mechanism is in proper working order. |
| Replace springs if they show signs of wear such as | | | | Lubricate rollers, hinge pivots, pulleys, torsion spring |
| uneven gaps between the coils, bent or damaged | | | | coils, bearings and the electric opener chain and |
| ends. | | | | sprockets. |
| Inspect the cables for fray. Replace frayed cables | | | | With periodic inspections and maintenance the |
| immediately. Check the pulleys for nicks or excessive | | | | average garage door can safely provide many years |
| wear that can cause damage to the cable. Replace | | | | of trouble free performance. |
| worn pulleys if necessary. | | | | |