Impact Garage Doors Maintenance Tips: Keeping Your Investment In Top Shape

Impact garage doors are a great addition to your home as they enhance the functionality and aesthetics of both your garage and home. They, however, require a commitment to maintenance to avoid expensive repair and replacement costs and to keep them working effectively.

We have created this guide to help you understand the significance of regular impact garage door maintenance and how to do it.

Why Impact Garage Door Maintenance Matters

Impact garage doors are at a constant risk of malfunctioning due to the frequency of their operation and exposure to external factors. Taking proper care and frequent maintenance of these doors play a vital role in maintaining their aesthetic appeal and functionality.

Here are a few reasons why it is essential to maintain your impact garage doors properly:

1. Maintenance Prolongs the Lifespan of Your Garage Door

Quality garage doors require a significant financial investment, and properly caring for them substantially enhances their durability. By routinely checking on the functionality you can catch malfunctions early before they become significant problems.​​​​​​Regular maintenance also ensures optimal performance of your impact garage doors. Tightening loose hardware and consistent lubrication ensures the smooth running of your door, reducing stress and friction on its mechanical parts, and promoting its durability. Replacing worn-out parts in time prevents them from causing more extensive damage that could lead to the eventual total malfunction of your door.

2. Maintenance Enhances Safety and Security

A well-maintained impact-resistant garage door contributes significantly to a home’s safety and security. A faulty garage door can open opportunities for break-ins, which you can avoid by routinely inspecting the door’s safety features like sensors, springs, and cables. A well-maintained impact garage door enhances your home’s overall security. ​​​Malfunctional impact garage doors can also pose a safety risk for your family and property. A faulty safety sensor, for example, significantly affects the door’s ability to reverse in the presence of obstructions.

3. Regular Maintenance Prevents Costly Repairs and Replacements

Regular maintenance helps prevent costly repairs because if you ignore a faulty or misaligned part it could lead to damage to the entire door. Routine maintenance for garage doors allows you to notice parts needing replacement due to wear and tear and challenges that need professional attention before resulting in severe damage.

How to Maintain Impact Garage Doors

Here are a few maintenance tips tailored for impact garage doors, addressing key aspects to preserve their longevity and operational efficiency.

1. Create and Adhere to a Lubrication Schedule

Garage doors require constant lubrication to ensure movable parts do not face resistance from friction. Consider the specific climate of your location, the frequency of your garage door’s usage, and your schedule. ​​​​​​High-quality silicone or lithium-based lubricants designed for garage doors are essential to ensure optimal garage door performance. These lubricant types are water resistant, adaptable to various temperatures, and adhere well to metal surfaces. Review product specifications provided by the manufacturer to ascertain the kind of base used to manufacture the lubricant, or contact a professional impact door technician to ensure you are using the right grease.

Adhering to a regular schedule, typically every six months delivers notable benefits. Consistent lubrication minimizes friction, reduces wear and tear on moving parts, and promotes smoother operation, preventing undue strain on the door’s components. This proactive approach preserves the integrity of impact garage doors and contributes to a quieter and more reliable functioning over time.

2. Tighten Loose Hardware

Loose hardware in an impact garage door can lead to various issues, loose bolts, nuts, or screws compromise the structural integrity of the door, potentially resulting in misalignments or imbalances during operation. This can contribute to increased wear and tear on various components, such as hinges, rollers, and the door track system, ultimately diminishing the door’s overall performance and longevity.

Spotting loose hardware requires a vigilant eye during routine visual inspections. Pay close attention to any visible gaps or misalignments in the door structure, and listen for unusual sounds during operation, which may indicate loose components vibrating or shifting. Physically inspecting bolts, nuts, and screws for visible signs of slackness or rust can also help identify loose hardware.

3. Test Safety Sensors Regularly

Safety sensors are essential for your garage door as they ensure the safety of garage users and the property moving in and out of the garage. Working safety sensors ensure that the door reverses in the face of obstruction, preventing accidents and injury when they do so. Conduct periodic tests to test the door’s efficacy to detect obstruction promptly and reverse the door.

Testing safety sensors is a simple process. Place a block of wood or other solid material before a moving impact door. Safety sensors should recognize this as an obstruction and effectively initiate the door’s reversal mechanism.

The safety sensors of an impact garage door are faulty if:

• The garage door does not reverse its movement when an obstruction is present in its path during closing.
• The door exhibits a noticeable delay or hesitation before reversing upon detecting an obstacle.
• The indicator lights on the safety sensors are either not illuminated or are blinking inconsistently.
• The garage door system exhibits erratic behavior, such as unexpected stops, jerky movements, or irregular door closures.
• Unusual or grinding sounds during door operation may indicate sensor malfunctions affecting the system’s normal functioning.
• Safety sensors may work inconsistently, causing the garage door to operate correctly on some occasions but not others.

You should use a clean cloth to clean impact garage doors’ safety sensors of dust, cobwebs, or other debris, as accumulating these can hinder their operation.

4. Protect Against Weather Elements

Impact-resistant garage doors are sturdy and offer superior protection against harsh weather elements, but you can enhance this by applying weather-resistant sealant to the door’s exterior. You could also install a weatherstrip by adding gaskets or door sweeps made explicitly for garage doors.

5. Check Springs and Cables

Worn-out springs and cables can cause unexpected garage door failures, and it would help if you regularly check their functionality. Inspect springs for signs of wear, rust, or other deformities and change them appropriately, mainly if they cause the door to produce abnormal sounds. You should also check the coils for gaps or other irregularities that would be fatigued

Cables should be appropriately aligned along the pulleys if they work well. Signs of twisting, fraying, or damage could mean the cables are faulty and need attention.

6. Promptly Replace Faulty Bottom Seal

The bottom seal, or the weather seal, is essential in preventing harsh weather elements, keeping pests at bay, and blocking water from damaging your property. Maintaining a working bottom seal is paramount, as a faulty one can compromise the essence of having an impact garage door. Visually inspect your weather strip for wear, cracking, or distortion. Brittleness or soft spots are indicators of wear, and it would help to pay attention to these.

Water seepage or drafts during adverse weather could also emanate from a faulty weather seal. Your door’s bottom seal should also provide a snug fit to your garage door, and if light passes through the bottom of the door, then there are gaps down there.

Additionally, pay attention to any increase in heating or cooling costs, as a deteriorating bottom seal can compromise the garage’s insulation. Regular checks and prompt replacement of a faulty bottom seal are vital steps to ensure the impact garage door’s continued efficiency and weather resistance.​​​​​​

7. Update or Repair Garage Door Openers

Automatic garage door openers come with software that can malfunction over time. Regularly updating software for smart door openers will go a long way to maintain their functionality. It would help to contact a qualified smart door technician if you cannot implement the updates by yourself.

STS Impact Windows & Doors – Your Ultimate Impact Garage Doors Company

Proactive maintenance is the cornerstone of keeping impact garage doors in optimal condition. The longevity of the investment, enhanced safety and security, and prevention of costly repairs are compelling reasons to prioritize regular upkeep.

Understanding the unique characteristics of impact-resistant garage doors and recognizing signs that indicate maintenance is needed empowers homeowners to take proactive steps. Following comprehensive maintenance tips, from lubrication schedules to security considerations, ensures that impact garage doors remain reliable and resilient guardians of our homes and vehicles. By embracing these practices, homeowners can maximize the lifespan of their garage doors and minimize the likelihood of unexpected failures.​​​​​​

Are you seeking the utmost reliability and quality in impact garage doors? STS Impact Windows & Doors is the premier choice for your needs. Renowned for its commitment to excellence, STS Impact Windows & Doors offers a curated selection of top-tier impact garage doors, ensuring optimal safety and durability and unparalleled aesthetic appeal.