Taking care of your garage doors- a guide for small business owners

Small business commercial garage door

With all the tasks that need to be completed when running a small business considering your garage doors may often slip off the list of priorities. Even though your larger doors aren’t in the residential category, as they are likely 10 feet wide and 12 feet high, they still need to be properly maintained. Daily use of the door, even if it is minimal, means that it should be treated to the same standard of care as you would the garage door on your home.

Continue reading to get a better understanding of the recommended maintenance your sectional door needs so that it can continue to work properly. Basic maintenance functions can usually be done in house, but some of the tasks will require contracting a professional.

A garage door should always open easily and with a smooth motion, whether you use it just a couple of times per day or it is constantly being opened and closed. To ensure consistent function, we recommend our Preventative Maintenance Program.

Make visual inspections of the door on a regular basis

Every month, you should make it a point to examine the following:

  • Lift cables: Look for any fraying or cables that like near breaking
  • Rollers: Make sure they are not in danger of falling off the track and that they are in good repair
  • Hinges: Look for any loose or missing screws
  • Horizontal tracks: when standing behind the door, ensure that the rollers do not flare out so much that they are in danger of coming out of their tracks

If the door is manually operated, consider these recommendations:

  • When lifting the door, it should not feel terribly heavy. You may need service if it feels like you are attempting to left 100 lbs.
  • When using the chain hoist, if the door feels like “it weighs a ton,” things are not working properly.

If you have an electric garage door opener, it is important to do this check on a monthly basis:

  • Pull down on the emergency release cord, and attempt to open the door. It should open easily while using just one hand. If it doesn’t, there is a serious problem which is related to either to the spring system or the tracks.

Atlas Door Systems’ qualified technicians should be contacted without delay to analyze the situation and make any necessary repairs. Allowing the situation to continue unchecked can lead to further damage and repairs that are more costly.

Tips for extending the life of the garage door

The most important piece of self-maintenance that can be completed is the lubrication of certain parts of your garage door, such as:

  • All of the Metal Pieces-
    • Rollers and Hinges: It is best to use a liquid lubricant, like 5W30 motor oil. Every metal part that comes into contact with another metal part needs to be lubricated. This will protect them from rust and prolong their lifespan.
    • The Spring System (counterweight): You can use the same motor oil that is used on the rollers and hinges. Apply it on the top of the spring with a clean cloth, and then continue application around the spring. After lubrication, you should notice a reduction in the noise the springs make as the steel strands rub against one another.
    • White grease is not advised, and rollers should not be lubricated. They are meant to roll on the tracks, not slide on them.
  • Everything in PVC
  • Electric garage door openers
    • Central or jackshaft electric door openers that were manufactured for commercial use have been created in such a way that no maintenance or lubrication of parts is required.

Atlas Door Systems carries both types of lubricants, for metal and PVC, which are made specifically for garage doors.

Maintenance that should be left to the professionals

We strongly advise that you do not attempt to repair or replace a defective part by yourself as it could result in a serious injury. These following situations should be left to the professionals:

  • Changing a broken torsion-type lift spring
  • Changing a broken or frayed lift cable
  • Replacing a lift cable that is not wrapped properly
  • Repairing a lift cable that is off its drum
  • Changing out the bracket (hinge) located at the bottom of the door
  • Repairing a garage door is off its horizontal tracks
  • Attempting to reposition a garage door that was hit by a vehicle
Small business commercial garage door

Only experienced and qualified technicians should attempt to repair the spring system or any part associated with the counterweight system. Attempting to do so without proper training could result in a serious injury or death.

To learn more about the required maintenance for your commercial garage door, we suggest you read this document. It will give you a better understanding of the door’s systems and tips on keeping your door working for you for years to come.

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