Taking Care of Your Garage Door

If you store any valuables in your garage, you want to be sure that your garage door is secure and in good condition. It’s wise to keep a close eye on your garage so that you can identify problems as they occur. These are a few things you can do to maintain your garage and keep it working properly.

Read The Manual That Came With Your Garage Door

It’s likely that your garage door came with some sort of manual from your garage door manufacturer. Even though the manual isn’t likely to be riveting reading, you should still take the time to read through it. If you look at the manual and see what it has to say, you’ll have a better idea of what you should be doing to keep your garage in the best shape.

Your manual should have a lot of information on maintenance, and it should also provide you with some basic troubleshooting tips. All of this information can be really helpful. Take a look at your manual when you have some spare time.

Inspect Your Garage Door

In many cases, you can spot issues with your garage door just by examining it. Of course, it’s unlikely that you’ll notice any problems if you don’t take the time to look. You should set aside some time every month to give your garage a visual inspection.

Don’t just glance at your garage door. Look at it closely. Pay particularly close attention to the small parts, such as the springs. If you see any issues, you should look into fixing them sooner rather than later.

Keep The Area Around Your Garage Door Clean

Garages can get very cluttered. While there’s nothing wrong with using your garage to store items, you should try to keep the area that’s right around your door clear.

Dirt can keep your garage door from functioning properly, particularly if you use a garage door opener. Dust and other impediments can get stuck around the door and stop it from functioning. Even a little bit of extra cleaning could save you a lot of hassle.

If you focus on looking after your garage door and keeping it in good working order, you will be able to avoid most problems going forward. If you do find that your garage needs to be repaired, you’ll want to call the professionals and have it fixed immediately.

Painting Your Garage Door

Your garage door will have an effect on the look of your home, whether you like it or not. This means having a great looking garage door can influence the visual style of the home.

The good thing is you can improve its look by either having a new one fitted by the team at Midlands garage doors or by giving your old one a new lick of paint.

If this is done right, your garage door will end up looking amazing and blend in with the style and them of your home.

If done wrong, you will wish you would have left it the way it was. Below are some great tips that will go a long way in ensuring the job is done right.

How much paint?

There are two main factors that will determine the amount of paint you are going to need for your garage door, the size of the door and the type of material it is made of.

A wooden door will take more paint to cover when compared to an aluminium door. If you are painting over the same colour or tone, you will need less paint than if you were painting from a dark to light or light to dark colour.

The best bet is going with a whole gallon of colour, which will ensure the paint is enough for the job, and you will have some left in case you might need to retouch later.

Preparations

Before you can start the process, you will need to do a couple of things. The door needs to be ready for painting. Most doors are usually covered in dirt, dust, cobwebs, grime, or oxidised paint.

Pressure washing both sides is the best way to go. Sand the surface, and you don’t have to worry about the surface sanding evenly, provided the grime and grit are off.

Painting

When painting the garage door, do it as you would any other surface. Paint using long and slow strokes. The surface should be covered by a single coat and let it dry before you apply another.

If you want to have a solid and even colour on the entire door, just use a roller and a brush for those smaller surface areas. If you are interested in seeing the brush strokes, go with a paintbrush.

In no time, your garage door will be looking new and will improve the look of the house. With the above tips, you will have an easier time painting the garage door.

How To Replace A Garage Door Spring

Garage doors have many small moving parts. If one of these parts is damaged in some way, your garage door could stop functioning. Thankfully, if you know how to replace a garage door spring, you should be able to take care of this problem swiftly.

Step One: Remove The Damaged Part

You won’t be able to install a new spring until after the old spring has been removed. You should identify the location of the faulty spring and carefully remove it from your garage door. Don’t toss the old spring in the bin after it’s been removed. You’ll want to have it on hand as you search for a new part.

You should be cautious when removing a part like this. Use the appropriate tools and wear gloves on your hand if necessary. Make sure that your garage door is disabled so that it won’t start moving as you try to take out the spring.

Step Two: Purchase A Replacement Part

You won’t be able to replace a spring unless you have a new spring available. You should identify the spring that you have and focus on replacing it. If you’re struggling to identify the part, you may want to take some photos and ask for assistance online.

It’s crucial to obtain the appropriate part. There are many types of garage doors, and if you purchase a spring of the wrong size, you might find that it won’t fit. You should replace your old part with an equivalent part.

Step Three: Install The New Part

Once you have a new part on hand, you’ll have to install the part. If you’ve never done something like this before, you’ll want to seek out tutorials that will walk you through each step of the process. There are even video tutorials that allow you to watch the installation process.

If you’re intimidated by the prospect of installing a part like this yourself, you should know that you can hire professionals that can replace your spring for you. Weigh your options before proceeding.

Take the time to learn how to replace a garage door spring so that you can get your garage door working again.

If you don’t feel that you’re able to handle these kinds of repairs on your own, you’ll want to hire a professional that can fix your spring right away. No matter what you decide to do, it’s important to address your damaged spring.

Choosing A Colour For Your Garage Door

The first impression is always made by a property’s garage door.

This has been true ever since garages sat at the front of a property. With so many houses having these layouts, it becomes important to have a beautiful garage door in line with modern standards.

Even if the door is at the back or to the side, why not spend time on making it as aesthetically pleasing as possible? To do this, it’s time to look into the colours best suited to your needs and what one should consider before making a decision.

Choosing the right colour isn’t as easy as it looks and this often has to do with the variables at play.

Exterior Elements

The first point of focus has to be the exterior elements (i.e. brick colour, window colours, landscaping). Each element has a role to play in the colour that’s eventually selected.

For example, if a property is darker in colour, it may not make sense to go with a baby pink garage door! This will look odd and stand out for all the wrong reasons!

This is why exterior elements need to be factored into the decision, so everything remains as balanced as possible.

Durability/Maintenance

This is often ignored but has to be kept in mind. You want a colour that is easier to manage and that often doesn’t apply to lighter shades/colours. For example, a black-coloured garage door is going to be a lot easier to manage in comparison to a sky blue door.

This has to do with how the colours manage while dealing with mud, dirt, and various types of debris.

Keep this in mind before choosing because the maintenance can ratchet up with a lighter colour.

Desired Tone

Most properties have a theme and this has to be accounted for. An example of this could be a property that has a combination of earthy tones associated with its exterior elements and you may want to maintain this underlying theme for balance.

The same applies to properties that are looking to go for a more sleek, ultramodern vibe that’s built on the shoulders of monochromatic colours.

Final Thoughts

Look at all of these variables and focus on choosing a colour that’s in line with your needs. Whether the garage door is at the front of the property or at the back, it’s always best to have a beautiful colour that stands out for all the right reasons!