Owing to their sturdy build-up and flexibility, lots of people see roller doors as the superman of doors. The disadvantage to this, however, is that most homeowners expect their doors to last at least 15 years before any major repairs or replacement can be done on them.
While that’s the expected lifespan of a roller door in Penrith, the reality is that the lifespan of your roller doors actually depends greatly on how you handle and maintain them! Improper handling, poor maintenance and other environmental factors all contribute to a less durable door.
Whether you’re a homeowner who doesn’t want his 1,500 AUD roller door to expire prematurely or you don’t want history to repeat itself, stick with us and let’s show you a few tips and tricks you can use to extend the lifespan of your roller door. Here are 8 things to do if you’re looking to extend the lifespan of your roller door.
- Inspect your door carefully and regularly
Here’s one of the first steps you can take to extend your door’s lifespan. It could be on a lazy day or during the weekend. The bottom line is; you need to check for jerky movement, unusual noises/sounds, damaged balancing systems (that is the pulleys, springs, or cables).
If there’s a problem, tackle it on time before it becomes a complication. However, if the problem stems from any of the balancing, especially the spring, DO NOT handle them yourself. Touching springs/cables/tension wires are extremely dangerous and issues affecting them should only be handled safely by professionals.
- Tighten up all the loose ends
We bet you open and close your garage door around twice a day. This sums up to over 700 opening and closing sesames each year. That’s a lot of moving around that could make the hardware around the door loosen. During your overall maintenance, be sure to check for loose bolts and nuts and tighten them up before lubricating any surfaces.
- Wash the door occasionally
We recommend washing your roller door at least once a month with some clean water and suitable cloth. This eliminates any dirt build-up in the door and would go a long way in keeping its tracks free from grime and other forms of debris. However, you would want to be careful not to touch the automatic opener. That’s because you stand the risk of getting electrocuted.
- Replace damaged parts
Yearly replacement of some parts is almost inevitable as the weather usually takes its toll on your door’s health with each passing year. A very notable part to be replaced from time to time is the weather stripping. These things are rubber seals placed at the bottom of your garage door to protect your interior against harsh weather. They do become dry and cracked with time and when they do, get another set from your convenience store and install them.
- Make sure the safety features are still working
It’s very crucial to inspect the safety features of your garage door. If yours comes with the photocell safety system, place an object beneath the door and close it. If the safety feature still works, then the door would detect the object using the laser light and reverse back up without touching it. If not, you have to replace the entire door.
- Check the balance
An improperly balanced roller door Penrith would open way harder than a well-balanced one. The reason being the rollers aren’t correctly put in place. To see if your door is balanced, unplug the opener by pulling the release cable and manually moving the door halfway up. The door should stay open if the balance is proper. However, you’ve got a problem if it shuts back down on you. Calling in a professional is the only way forward in this case.
- Lubricate generously
Lubrication is super important to maintaining your garage door’s health. Every moving part of your steel door, which includes the springs, rollers, and hinges, needs to be lubricated once every few months or so. Experts advise the technician (either DIY or professional) to use either a silicone spray lubricant or white lithium grease.
To get this over with, brush around the bearings with an old toothbrush to remove any accumulation of dirt and grime and wipe the remaining debris away with a clean towel if the rollers are metal with unsealed bearings. Apply a thin layer of silicone oil to the bearings, just enough to prevent leakage. If the rollers are nylon with sealed bearings, no lubrication is required. All you have to do now is spray lubricant in and around the roller stems. Wipe away any extra oil to avoid it spilling into your garage floor, and avoid spraying the nylon wheels on your rollers that meet the guide tracks.
- Replace the rollers
Replacing the rollers should be done once every 7 years or when you notice any cracking or chipping in between the rollers. When something like this happens, call in a professional right away. DO NOT touch any rollers directly attached to the cable system as this is risky.
Giving your garage door the proper care it deserves would only pay off in the long run. You get to save money and time! Keep maintaining them and you’d find they can even last longer than 15 years!
Sometimes simple maintenance is not enough though. If after maintenance, your roller door in Penrith still shows signs of fault or deterioration, contact us so we can help you out.
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