For many homeowners a garage is a central point of their home. It shelters vehicles, serves as a valuable storage facility, and houses many valuable seasonal items and tools. However, for many homeowners, their garage is also one of the most neglected spaces when it comes to cleaning and maintenance. Garages are very susceptible to the wear and tear of everyday life:
- The overhead door is opened and closed several times a day: allowing for the continual use of the door mechanisms, and dirt, snow, and living creatures to enter into the garage.
- Vehicles also track in elements of the outdoor world, as do footwear and pets.
- Stored items collect dust, and have the potential to leak or spill, often resulting in stains.
A garage is a large investment for a homeowner - If there is high usage and little maintenance, your investment will not withstand the test of time as effectively as it could. Performing proper maintenance on your garage periodically throughout the year will save you time and money in the long run.
Weatherproof your Garage
Evaluate when your garage door seal, located at the bottom of the overhead door, needs to be replaced. It is time to change the seal when sunlight begins to come through the bottom of the closed garage door. Bottom door seals keep out dirt, mice, water, insects and cold breezes. Seals are also relatively inexpensive, and are not difficult for an average homeowner to install. Garage door, window, and entrance door weatherstrips are also an easy install, as well as inexpensive.
Overhead Door Maintenance
It is important to service the door not only to maintain its life and operation, but for safety and convenience reasons as well. All rollers, hinges, roller tracks and latches should be cleaned off, and then have a penetrating solvent, such as WD-40, used on them. Pulleys and springs should be lubricated, and wiped down with oil, should rust begin to surface. Homeowners should exercise caution when considering the replacement of any worn springs, cables or loose brackets. Although the functionality of these parts are essential to the safe and efficient motions of the overhead door, replacing them should be a job for a professional only. Checking the tracks which the overhead door lowers and raises itself on should also be checked for any bends or fractures.
If the overhead door is noticeably noisy, all nuts on the door, as well as on the track, should be tightened. It is not uncommon for metal rollers to make noise as they role up and down the metal track as they age. If this is the case, the rollers may be replaced. Rollers should be replaced one at a time, and nylon rollers rather then metal rollers may be used as an alternative. Nylon rollers are often quieter then metal, but are more expensive. If replacing the rollers proves to be too daunting of a task, soaking the rollers in kerosene using a small brush, and removing any rust with steel wool, may also lower the noise level. If your garage door has torsion springs, homeowners should not attempt to replace the rollers in the bottom bracket. Torsion springs are located above the upper tracks of both sides on both sides of the garage door, and are attached to the header above the closed overhead door. These springs are always under tension, and altering or moving the bottom bracket could prove to be potentially dangerous for the homeowner.
Garage doors should also be checked for flaking paint and rust. If the door is displaying these qualities, the garage door should be sanded down in these areas and then re-primed and painted.
The Garage Floor.
Chips and cracks are bound to appear in concrete garage flooring. Although small chips and cracks are expected, and do not indicate structural problems, with the continued wear and tear on the floor, these imperfections could prove to become more serious in time. To avoid a potential problem caused by smaller chips and cracks in concrete flooring, it is best to clean out the imperfection and fill it properly with premixed concrete crack sealant. Cracks and chips on the larger end of the scale should be properly treated with concrete bonding adhesive and then filled in with a concrete mix. If cracks or other imperfections are growing exceptionally large and continually spreading, the homeowner should call a professional in for inspection and treatment.
Cleanliness for Longevity
General cleanliness in a garage is also important for its maintenance and longevity. Dirt, salt and other residue collects in garages during the colder months, and should be swept and washed off the floor surface on a regular basis. This not only improves the aesthetic look of your garage, but also cleans residue out of forming cracks and chips, which increases the lifespan of your pad surface, and will keep your items in storage cleaner. Concrete absorbs liquids readily, so washing the flooring and removing stains such as oil, will improve the health of your flooring and the sanitary level in your living space. Using hooks, racks and shelves, and avoiding placing objects directly on the floor not only protects items stored in your garage to a greater degree from dirt and living creatures, but also promotes a clean and safe environment as well. Washing the overhead door will also slow down its gradual wear and tear, but avoid using strong detergents as it may deteriorate the door’s finishing surface. Inspecting the reversing sensors on a regular basis is also a good idea as it promotes the safety of yourself, family members and vehicles.
Providing your garage with the proper maintenance and service will increase its life and functionality as well as its occupant’s safety. Keeping a garage safe, clean, and functional is an ongoing task throughout the year, and should not be performed only once annually. A garage is often one of the most utilized living spaces in a home, and therefore is very susceptible to the effects of everyday life. Like everything else in a home, a garage requires attention and care to function properly. Garage doors especially are arguably the largest moving part in a home and require service to maintain a suitable level of safety. If a garage is properly maintained, it should run efficiently and prove to be a valuable asset to the homeowner for many years.