So, you installed a new garage door. Congratulations! A good quality, well-maintained garage door can last up to 30 years, if you’re willing to take good care of it. There are many things you can do to take care of your new garage door. Below, we’ve outlined 5 easy ways to keep your garage door in good shape for years to come.
1. Read the Warranty
For your convenience, Overhead Door publishes all their warranties online. Find the warranty that corresponds to your garage door type to educate yourself about the type of problems that are and aren’t covered, and what you can do to avoid damaging your door in such a way that the warranty would not cover it.
2. Clean the Photoelectric Eye Periodically
The photoelectric eye is a part of your new garage door’s safety features. Its job is to sense movement in the doorway and prevent your garage door from closing on a person or object in the pathway of the door. This sensor is located at the base of the door’s opening, where it can easily get dirty.
Think of the photoelectric eye as being the lens of a camera. It needs to be cleaned periodically with a soft microfiber cloth to stay functional and avoid damage.
3. Wash the Door From Time to Time
Spray your new garage door with a jet of water from a hose, then wash down the garage door with a soapy sponge. Wash the suds off your door when you’re done. Washing your door periodically prevents it from being stained by mold, mildew, moss, dirt, and pollutants.
4. Weatherstrip in Winter
Weatherstripping can protect your garage, the door, and the garage door opener from moisture, heat, and cold and rodent damage. You can ask your garage door installer to weatherstrip your garage door when he or she comes for the first tune-up, or you can weatherstrip it yourself.
To weatherstrip your door, install rubber strips along the garage door opening to create a seal between the frame and the door. Your garage door should also have a U-shaped rubber gasket on the underside of the door. Since your door is new, that rubber gasket should be in good condition. Check it next year, and every winter thereafter. Replace it when the rubber becomes cracked.
5. Start Your Tune-Up Schedule
You just installed your new garage door, so you’re probably not giving a lot of thought to its first tune-up. …but you should! During your garage door tune-up, your contractor will adjust the balance, lubricate the parts, and keep your garage door functioning just like it did when it was first installed. The longer you can maintain this like-new functioning, the better.
Contact Overhead Door of Oklahoma City
Schedule your next garage door tune-up. Call Overhead Door of Oklahoma City today to make your first appointment.