Commercial Garage Door Maintenance Tips Business Owners Should Know

Commercial garage doors play an important role in keeping a safe working environment, as well as ensuring the safety of the materials you store in your warehouse or workplace. Though garage doors are prone to get damaged or malfunction due to improper usage or lack of maintenance, there are several steps you can do to take care of your garage door. A well-maintained garage door can help ensure seamless performance as well as prevent costly repairs. Learn here the commercial door maintenance tips that can keep you from spending money on expensive repairs.

Commercial Garage Door Maintenance Tips

Aside from yearly maintenance visits, managers or even employees can perform visual inspections and basic tests to identify any potential problems with the commercial garage door.

1. Visually Inspect Your Garage Door

Check the door springs, rollers, pulleys, and any other hardware for any signs of damage. Look for frayed cables, bent hinges, loose screws or bolts, worn rollers, rust, and corrosion. If you suspect any problems, contact professionals at Inland Overhead Door immediately.

2. Lubricate The Moving Parts

Keeping the rollers, hinges and all other moving parts well-lubricated can extend the life span of your garage door. Apply a good amount of lubricant like white lithium grease and make sure to wipe off any excess grease. If any of the hinges or rollers are stuck, you can use a penetrating solution to free them. Spray the solution to those parts, clean them off and apply the lubricant. Furthermore, it is also a good idea to lubricate the spring system. Spray the grease on the garage opener’s chain or screw. If the torsion spring becomes rusty, wipe it off with oil.

3. Clear the Rollers Tracks

Accumulated debris can make it difficult for the rollers to slide smoothly every time your door operates. In other instances, larger debris can cause your rollers to pop off the track. So make sure to inspect and clean your rollers to ensure that they will work efficiently. Use a level to make sure the tracks are properly vertical along the vertical sections.

4. Tighten The Hardware

Over time, the hardware on your commercial door loosen up because of their consistent movement. When loose, your door jostles or even falls off its tracks completely. To prevent a more serious problem, tighten all the hardware. Use a socket wrench and a screwdriver to tighten any loose bolts. If you notice any damage to the hardware, call for professional help.

5. Test the Balance

Testing the balance of your door is very crucial to ensure the safety of your door and its opener. An unbalanced garage door will have to work harder and can shorten its lifespan. To test the door, pull the release handle on the automatic opener, then use the manual mode function. Lift the door until it is about halfway. If the door is in proper balance, it should remain in place without your help. If it is the other way around, carefully set it back down and contact professionals. When it comes to spring repairs, it is best to trust professionals.

6. Inspect the Auto-Reverse Feature

Modern commercial garage doors are now equipped with an auto-reverse feature. This safety feature is designed to stop and reverse the direction of the door every time it detects an object in its path or has hit an object while the door is closing. This system is triggered by a pair of photocells located on each side of the door or by a pressure sensor.

Test the photoelectric system by starting to close the door, then passing your leg in the direction of the door. If the door goes up again, then this system is in good condition. Furthermore, to test if the sensor is working properly, place a 2×4 board flat on the ground in the direction of the door. When the door closes and touches the board, it should reverse direction and go up again. If you notice any problems with your auto-reverse feature, schedule the repair with a professional.

Commercial Garage Door Preventative Maintenance Services

Keep your business running efficiently with Inland Overhead Door Company quality preventative maintenance. Our preventative maintenance service ensures that your door will function properly all year long. We have skilled technicians both minor and major repairs on doors, openers, and other hardware malfunctions. Contact us today to schedule inspections.