A well-maintained garage door will give many years of excellent service. Regularly cleaning and checking your door is essential, as well as testing all moving parts to ensure they are working correctly. If you do require replacement spares, take a look at the selection of garage door spare parts we have available. If you can't see what you require on the website, please contact us, as we can almost certainly source and order the part you need.
Your garage door is constantly exposed to the elements. Cleaning the outside of the door at least once a year will help to keep it in the best possible condition.
Firstly, use a stiff brush to remove stubborn dirt such as bird droppings or mildew. Always be careful when cleaning your garage door not to cause any damage to the paintwork or finish of the door. Then use a softer brush or cloth to gently wipe down the entire surface of the door.
Fill a bucket with warm water, mixed with a small amount of mild detergent. It is better to use less detergent than you think necessary, rather than more, to avoid damaging the paintwork. Never use acid-based products such as vinegar to clean your garage door.
Use a large sponge to wash the door with the water and detergent mix. Wash the door in stages, cleaning about a quarter to a third of the door then rinsing with clean water from a separate bucket or hosepipe before moving on to the next section. Keep going until you have washed and rinsed the entire surface of the door. Leave the door to dry completely before opening.
Your garage door should be lubricated at least once a year, and it is best to do this at the same time as you are cleaning it. Once the door is dry after cleaning, use some lubricating oil on all moving parts on the inside of the door. This includes:-
Apply the lubricating oil to all of these parts of the garage door, wiping off any excess oil with a clean, dry cloth.
Occasionally, garage door parts may need to be replaced. Always follow the manufacturer's instructions clearly when replacing a component of your garage door, and ensure you are wearing the appropriate protective clothing.
If you have an electric door operator, disengage the drive mechanism to allow manual operation before attempting to remove any part. Once you have opened the door, ensure it is safely propped open so that it won't suddenly drop when cables or springs are removed.
When replacing garage door cones, cables and springs it is important that you replace both at the same time to avoid excess wear on one side of the garage door. Always remember that these parts of your garage door, particularly the springs, are under tension and can fly off or even break as you attempt to remove them. Ensure your head and arms are well clear of their path when removing any of these parts.
Once you have replaced all the necessary parts, ensure both new and old parts are well lubricated, as described above. Then unprop the door and manually close the door to about half way. If the door has a tendency to close at this point, more tension is required in the spring adjusting bolts, and the door should be re-propped open while you make these adjustments.
When you are happy that the spring tension is correct and the door is properly balanced, don't forget to re-engage the electric door operator, if necessary.
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