5 tips to ensure that you have a well-maintained garage door

Service your garage door every 12 – 18 months

A service will include the rebalancing of the door, a physical check of all the hinges and rollers, bearings and panels as well as inspection of the cables to ensure that there is no fraying of the cable.

At MasterCraft, we check your automation and ensure that the limits are set as required. Any over-running of the motor can cause damage to the door panels as well as the motor.

We also check that the battery system is charged to full capacity by assessing the voltage coming from the charge board. Failure to check this can result in low voltage which damages the backup battery and results in the expense of purchasing new batteries more often than is necessary.

Keep track of changes and keep in touch!

Should you hear any strange or untoward noise coming from the motor, contact MasterCraft, your garage door specialist! An example is straining sound when raising the door, as if the motor is really struggling. This is an indication that the door is too heavy, and a re-balancing service is required.

Any clacking sounds emanating from the door whilst the door is in motion, either opening or closing is an indication that there is a misalignment in the panels. Failure to remedy this is time could result in damaged panels and could require replacement thereof.

Maintain at Home

Ensure that your door is kept clean. This is important in especially coastal areas. With the move to Alu zinc and aluminium doors, the moisture-laden air in coastal areas allows condensation to be deposited on the garage door panels and hardware. If left unchecked, salt crystals can form on the panels and hardware. Due to the motion of the door, these salt crystals can become a grinding paste that will wear down the protective powder coating layer that is on the doors. Once this occurs, oxidation could start, which in time will allow the material to fail.

Simple ways to keep your garage door clean:

• A simple use of the garden hose pipe to rinse off the door every now again goes a long way in keeping the door free of build-up and thereby protecting the powder coating.
• A spray of lubricating oil on the moving parts: hinges, rollers and bearings will ensure that the door is free to move and is not being bound up by “sticky” rollers.

A free moving door also ensures an easier lift for the motor – preventing additional strain on the motor.

Take special care of Timber and Custom doors…

Timber doors are generally heavier than metal doors. Although the springs are designed to balance the door, the change in seasons affects how the door is balanced. In the Cape, the dry summer dries out the timber and without suitable timber treatment / sealer, the timber will take on extra moisture during the winter rains. This will make the door heavier which will result in an unbalanced door and possible problems with the automation. Homeowners should ensure that their timber doors are treated prior to the onset of the rainy season.

Be particular about exceptional workmanship

Opt for exceptional service and workmanship to ensure that your garage door is being looked after from the beginning, at installation.

We, at MasterCraft, pride ourselves in offering a quality service with a workmanship guarantee.