Like the fencing around the domestic properties, the garage doors are often facing the street running past the home, and it is one of the first things people notice when they enter the property. Whether they are aluminium, or wood or plastic garage doors, looking after them is as important as looking after the roof of the house.
More than the covering of the cave-like structure that houses your prize Porsche or Lamborghini, the garage door offers some security as well. It also forms part of the aesthetic appeal to the house and should not detract from the beauty of your most valuable asset.
Ultraviolet exposure is but one of the elements of nature that the garage doors are exposed to. Strong winds resulting in sand blasting of the surfaces of the doors contribute greatly to the degeneration of the surface treatment of the doors. Whether it is painted, or varnished, regular maintenance will be required to ensure continued protection of the surfaces exposed to the elements. If necessary, strip the peeling paint first, before re-coating with a durable paint. Wooden doors should be lightly sanded to smooth the surface again, before the appropriate treatment is applied once more. Depending on the climate, this treatment might be required more than once a year.
Automated garage door openers need to be checked for smooth operation. Although the installers apply special lubrication to the worm drives, or chains, dust and other foreign objects could cause the motors to get stuck or work harder than normal to open and close the doors. This will reduce the useful life of the installation, and cause damage to the chains, worm drives or motors.
If necessary, climb on a ladder and inspect the parts of the garage door openers that you cannot see while standing below it. Remove any obvious obstructions, and clean in accordance with the manufacturers instructions. If uncertain, or the motors still do not operate smoothly, get expert help to come and have a look. Garage door openers are expensive, and they work hard, so you would want to ensure that they continue to do so for many years.
