Commercial garage doors need maintenance, just like residential doors. In fact, a commercial door might even require more care and maintenance than a door installed in a home garage, so it’s important to know how to care for them. Whether you use the door daily or just on occasion, it still needs to be taken care of regularly.
Commercial garage doors refer to any door over 12 feet in height, which covers most doors installed on businesses. Frequently used doors can benefit from Preventative Maintenance Program that help reduce wear and tear, breakdowns, and the need for early replacement.
If you’re new to owning a sectional door, keep reading to learn how to keep your door in good shape and when you need to call professional garage door maintenance and repair services.
Inspect your garage door regularly
A visual inspection can go a long way in keeping your commercial garage door in good shape. There are many common issues that you will be able to see or hear before the door actually breaks down, if you are paying attention. Inspect your door at least once a month for things like functional operation, damaged parts, and other things that may need to be addressed. Specifically, look at things like:
- The Lift cables on the door need to be made of a durable, high-quality material that is specifically for commercial use. Cables should be free of knots and frays for safe, effective daily operation. If cables are damaged, they should be replaced as soon as possible to guarantee everyone’s safety.
- Hardware can come loose over time or get damaged even from regular daily use. Inspect hinges, springs, and any other door hardware to make sure that it is all still intact and functioning as it should.
- The garage door track should be aligned, free from tracks defects, and able to allow the door to roll smoothly up and down. Flaring rollers on the horizontal tracks could cause a door to come off the rails. Speaking of rollers, check these for damage regularly, as well.
- A balanced door should be easy to lift with just one hand. If your door sticks or feels heavier than it should, there may be a problem with the door’s balance. You can release the electric opener to check the door manually. If you notice a problem, you should call a professional garage door technician immediately.
International Door Corp can provide assistance with many commercial garage door repairs and maintenance needs. If you notice any problems with the items listed above during your inspection, call someone right away.
What you can do
So many garage door services will tell you all of the things that you shouldn’t do to maintain your door. What about the things that you can do to help extend the life of commercial garage doors? The best thing that you can do is to invest in some motor oil and silicone-based lubricant to lubricate the door’s moving parts. This will ensure proper operation and keep things moving smoothly.
The only parts you will have to lubricate are the PVC and metal components. Motor oil is a good choice for the metal parts of the door, including the door track, to ensure smooth operation and keep the door in good working order. PVC weatherstripping needs lubricant, as well, which is where the silicone-based products come into play. International Door Corp has metal and PVC lubricants for all applications.
Know when to ask for help
While you can typically manage most aspects of your commercial garage door, there are some instances where you just need a professional to ensure that the job is done correclty. Serious injuries, and even deaths, have occurred from people attempting to work on heavy commercial garage doors or dangerous garage door springs without any formal training or eperience.
If your door is acting up or is in need of service, call International Door Corp right away. Common repairs that are best left to the professionals include:
- Track damage or doors going off track
- Broken, frayed, or damaged lift cables
- Damaged or broken extension or torsion springs
- Hinges or brackets that are stripped or broken
- Reseating or realigning a garage door involved in an impact with a vehicle
If your garage door needs more than an inspection and some lubricant, it’s probably best to call the professionals. Remember that safety is what matters here. Find out more about what you can do to keep your door in good shape with our handy DIY maintenance guide, and call us for all of your garage door maintenance needs.
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