It’s good to perform regular maintenance on your garage door every six months – in the fall and spring.

Perform these safety tests on your garage door system and contact a professional for repairs if it fails any of them.

Garage door balance: 

• Disconnect the garage door from the opener so that it will operate manually.
• Lift the door about halfway up, then release it.
• The door should remain in place; if it slips down, the door isn’t balanced. Call BDC Door.

Mechanical reverse feature: 

• Place a piece of wood or a brick on the garage floor in the path of the door.
• Activate the garage door to close.
• When the door contacts the block, it should reverse direction. If it does not, call BDC Door.

The garage door hardware needs periodic inspection for signs of wear and tear.

• Check the garage door tracks and hinges. Use a socket wrench or screwdriver as needed to tighten any loose bolts or fasteners on moving parts.
• Inspect for wear on any garage door rollers that are not attached to the lift cable system; steel rollers will show worn bearings and may look lopsided, while nylon rollers tend to crack as they age. Purchase and install replacement rollers as needed.
• Look for wear in the lift cables attached to the door. You may see excessive rust, deterioration, or broken strands in the cables. If they look worn, call BDC Door for service.

Safety: Do not try to replace garage door cables. They are under high tension and could cause serious injury if not handled by a professional.

Keep the garage door clean and in good repair.

• Wooden garage doors should be wiped down with a clean, dry cloth.
• Inspect the surface of the door to see if it needs repainting or staining or shows any signs of insect damage.
• Patch any small holes with wood filler, lightly sand and then paint or stain as required.
• Wash vinyl or other synthetic garage doors with a soft cloth and appropriate cleaner.
• Thoroughly rinse the door with a hose, then dry with a microfiber cloth.
• Brush down any cobwebs on the inside of the garage doors and wipe with a soft dry cloth. Go over any needed areas with a lightly dampened cloth.