The kids head back to school. We watch as leaves change from green to hues of brown, gold, red and fiery orange in the crisp, cool autumn air. The busyness begins again and we find that many of us will scurry from activity to activity for months to come. All this renewed activity results in extra work for every part of our homes..especially our garage doors. They go up and down and up and down as we leave for work, and come back again. We load the kids up for sports, and activities and are in and out of the garage all week.

Are your garage doors ready? Can they handle all the hustle and bustle that fall inevitably brings? Your garage door opens up over the heads of yourself, your family, your cars, pets and stuff so they need to be in good working order.

There are some common garage door problems that occur primarily in the fall and in early spring. One of these is metal failure or metal fatigue. In this article we will discuss these problems and we will outline some things you, the homeowner can do to get your garage doors ready for the cooler temperatures of fall and winter.

When the seasons change, and the temperature starts to rise or fall it can bring with it garage door issues. These climate changes cause metal to contract and expand. When this happens, weak points in the metal on your garage door will begin to break.

1. Look for frayed or broken cables – If you have cables on your garage door that look a little worn and frayed, it is best to get them replaced before the cooler fall weather sets in.
2. Look for sagging or broken springs – It is a very common occurrence for garage door springs to snap during a season change. Usually springs tend to wear evenly so if one has broken, the other is usually not too far behind. It is for this reason that Covenant Garage Doors & Openers, LLC. always recommends changing out both springs at the same time. It is safer and ends up saving money in the long run.
3. Cold weather opener woes – The same cold weather that snaps cables and springs on a garage door also can cause problems for your garage door opener. Look for worn out or stripped gears in your opener (especially for doors that are not balanced or running smoothly). Also, expect to have some difficulties with your screw drive opener. The screw drive opener has a thick lubricant around the screw assembly which, in cold weather, tends to thicken and cause the opener to function improperly, or sometimes not function at all.

Here are some things you can do to get your garage doors ready for fall.

1. Schedule an Annual Tune Up and Service – Have a trained garage door technician perform a routine door service. This is an affordable way to ensure that your garage door is working properly. While performing the door service, your tech will be able to check your door and opener and give repair recommendations.
   
   Here are the things that Covenant Garage Doors & Openers, LLC. technicians will do during a door service.
   
   For the door itself:
   A. Tighten door – This takes care of any loose hardware which could result in poor door operation and eventual damage to the door and opener.
   B. Adjust track – To ensure that the door opens and closes smoothly.
   C. Adjust springs – To make sure that the spring is not wound too tight or hanging loose (this is done on springs less than 5 years old).
   D. Check condition of parts – This is where a technician will note worn or broken parts and recommend repairs.
   E. Inspect bottom rubber – To make sure the rubber seal on the bottom of your door is not torn, or cracked.
   F. Lubricate door – The technician will lubricate all moving door parts with a silicone-based spray lubricant to ensure that your door runs smoothly.
   
   For the garage door opener:
   A. Adjust chain or belt – To make sure it is running smoothly.
   B. Adjust force limits – The force limits are the amount of push and pull “muscle” your opener unit has. If the force limits are incorrect, your opener may operate your door too forcefully and this could be a safety issue and also could damage your garage door
   C. Adjust travel limits – The travel limits are the distance the door opens and closes.
   D. Check remote and keypad reception – This ensures that the remote and keypad functions properly.
   E. Lubricate opener- All moving parts are lubricated with a silicone-based spray lubricant to ensure that the opener runs smoothly.
   
2. Lubricate all working parts – In order for your garage doors to continue to run smoothly, and as noiselessly as possible, it is important to occasionally lubricate them. A garage door should be lubricated a minimum of two times a year.
3. Replace worn out bottom rubber – If you find that your garage door has cracked or torn bottom rubber, call a garage door technician to replace it for you.
4. A fresh coat of paint –If you have a wooden door, and you find that the paint is peeling or chipping, it may be time to apply a fresh coat of paint. Direct exposure to rain can ruin a wooden door quickly. Pay particular attention to the bottom of the door where water collects the most. This is usually where a door starts to rot.

With just a little care each year, and routine service a garage door will run smoothly for years to come.

Any more questions? Give us a call at 770-720-7828 or visit our web site at www.covenantgaragedoors.com