Fall is the ideal time to do an inspection of your house to be sure that it will be ready to meet the rigours of winter; the maintenance of your garage door is a main part. Fear not, this task requires a minimal investment of money and time and it will spare you a lot of worries.

The door To clean your door, use a gentle soap (e.g. dishwashing soap) and rinse thoroughly. For those tough stains, use an all-purpose detergent. Do not use abrasive cleaners or other strong liquids. To stop the bad effects of acid rain and the ultraviolet rays of the sun, once a year, apply a liquid wax to protect its lustre and give back its brightness.

The weather-stripping Clean your weather-stripping with an all-purpose detergent and then, thoroughly rinse. Lubricate the weather-stripping every two months (more often depending on usage) with a weatherstrip lubricant. Do not use lubricant with a petroleum base; the petroleum attacks rubber, which must remain flexible.

The tracks, rollers and springs To keep your door running, it's important to check all the moving parts. Hardware made of galvanized steel, doesn't rust, however, it needs some minimal maintenance steps to offer better performance.

The track doesn't need to be lubricated. Lubricating the rollers (the inside) and the hinges with a metal lubricant however, is suggested. Do not use any lubricant with a petroleum base because, aside from lubricating, it acts as a degreaser.

To prolong your spring's useful life, apply metal lubricant and wipe off the excess oil with a cloth. The safety cable also needs to be checked to avoid problems. For your own safety, never attempt to adjust the springs, the bottom brackets, or the hoisting cables yourself because of, among other things, the inherent risk associated with the great deal of tension in the springs. Call a certified installer to handle the work for you.

The garage door opener Weather conditions may cause some minor changes in door operation requiring some re-adjustment so it is important to do a check up once a month.

Work the door manually. It must be well balanced. If the door is not balanced, contact a qualified garage door installer. Check if your door opens and closes completely. If necessary, adjust limits and/or force. Most garage doors openers come with two knobs for these adjustments. Consult your owner's manual.

Check the safety reversing sensor. The door must reverse on contact if an object or a person is under it. Also, check if your photo sensors are correctly plugged in and aligned. The door should reverse if any object passes through the beam.

The opener does not require additional lubrication. Do not permit children to play with the opener. Keep the remote control in an inaccessible location.

Finally... Consider your garage door as an important part of your home. Perform the suggested maintenance and it will provide you with carefree convenience for many years to come. It’s recommended that the door is inspected by a qualified installer at least once a year.

About Garaga Inc. Garaga is a Canadian garage doors manufacturer for the residential, commercial and industrial markets. Garaga ownes two ultra-modern plants, one in Saint-Georges-de-Beauce, Quebec and the other in Barrie, Ontario. The company also has a distribution center in Montreal, Quebec. GARAGA inc. is celebrating his 25th anniversary in 2008 and has grown from 5 employees in 1983 to over 200 in 2008.