How to put off costly winter repairs with a little fall maintenance on your garage door
Is the garage door not as quick as it was? Or putting out sounds of late that are unfamiliar? You may be wondering how it will hold up once North Georgia gets its first taste of cold.
Asking yourself these things is wise at this time of year. The fall is when one should get after minor issues before they become an expensive matter in the winter. We have been in the business for 20 years or more between us, and Top Notch Garage Door has been the go to for homeowners from Atlanta metro to North Georgia since 2009. Give us a ring at (404) 390-2669 for a professional assessment of your door prior to the cold setting in.
The case of the garage door in winter
Garage doors do not develop problems from nothing in cold weather; the cold merely lays them bare. What might be a spring with some wear in October is apt to snap by January. Freezing temperatures will cause the metal in a poorly aligned track to contract and bind. Then there is the matter of lubricant that has dried up, allowing the parts to grind.
These are failures you can see coming and forestall with some attention before the season does.
A look at what fall maintenance will find
When we do a tune-up we focus on what is prone to let you down in the winter. An inspection will run the gamut:
- Springs for any loss of tension, rust or wear
- Cables to be sure they are seated and not fraying
- Tracks for a bend or misalignment
- A test of the rollers and hinges for smoothness
- Opener and its safety reversal
- Weather seals for cold air intruding through gaps
- Any hardware that vibration has worked loose
Individually they are not much, but neglect any of them and the door may not want to open on the coldest morning of the year.
Why you would rather have a tune-up than a repair
It is a question of cost. We will attend to a spring that is wearing out so it does not break. Should it snap, it can take the opener, panels and cables with it in bringing the whole door down. A single problem multiplies.
All too often in our winter emergency calls we come across the same thing: the homeowner was aware the door was giving him trouble in the fall but put it off, and the January bill is no small amount. It is invariably cheaper to deal with the problem than the consequences.
Some things you can put your own eye to
Before the winter comes you can make a trip to the garage and see for yourself.
- Any grinding or scraping when the door is in motion?
- Does it travel the tracks in an uneven fashion?
- Is the closing complete, sealing to the floor?
- Are there gaps to be seen in the weather stripping?
- Does the opener seem to have a mind of its own?
If you spot something, have it seen to while there is still time. Or if you are not certain what it is, leave it to our crew.
More than just saving money
There is the safety factor with a garage door in good order. A frayed cable or an old spring is under a lot of tension and can give way without warning. Our maintenance work ensures the door will perform as it ought to. And for comfort’s sake, new seals and a tight closing door will keep the cold out of the garage, which is important if it is below the bedrooms or adjoins the living area.
Serving Atlanta and North Georgia
From Marietta, Roswell and Sandy Springs to Athens, Alpharetta, Smyrna, Lawrenceville and Kennesaw, as well as the rest of the surrounding area, Top Notch Garage Door is here for you. We are with builders, contractors and property managers as well as homeowners, and we service all the brands we stock such as Amarr, C.H.I., Chamberlain, Clopay and LiftMaster. There is also 24/7 emergency service should winter take you unawares.
For those thinking of a replacement, our website has a Garage Door Builder to put together a design for the home and we can arrange financing.
Make the call to Top Notch Garage Door at (404) 390-2669 for a free estimate and book a check now. There is no need to let the first freeze tell you what the door has been up to.