I love Bob Vila. I truly do. I was an avid watcher of “This Old House.” Sears appliances were purchased and placed in my home solely on his recommendation. And I’m absolutely obsessed with his five-book series called “Bob Vila’s Guide to Historic Homes of America.” That’s right, I’m a do-it-yourself diehard through and through, and Mr. Vila is a giant among my kind. Being of this DIY ilk, I also love my home. This fact aligns me even more closely with Mr. Vila, considering his specialty is expertly showing us how to simply and efficiently maintain our humble abodes. Mr. Vila’s advice has saved me untold amounts of money and time as well as countless headaches. With that said, there’s one huge aspect of our homes that often gets ignored: our garage doors. These large, heavy metal objects open and close multiple times daily. And while doing so, these complex machines employ engines, gears, electronics and the like each and every time. As Mr. Vila puts it, “the garage door is the single largest moving part in your home.” Not only are garage doors often-used, they are also responsible for our safety. After all, a malfunctioning garage door could mean the difference between a prowler from being able to get inside your home or not. I think it’s pretty safe to say that a garage door is an important thing. And something this important should be looked after more diligently. There 5 things that Mr. Vila advises us to do in order to keep a garage door running smoothly:
- Inspect the tracks to make sure there is no debris to catch the rollers. Wipe them out or vacuum if needed.
- Lubricate the rollers with regular engine oil. Put a drop on each roller and allow the rolling action to draw it into the bearings. Don’t use grease, it will just gum up the tracks and collect hair and debris.
- Check cables for any sign of fraying and make certain that springs are tight and connected.
- Lightly lubricate any bearings and garage door hinges.
- Check the spring to make sure that it is “wet” or lightly lubricated. If it gets dried out, it will clump and jam up your system.
According to Mr. Vila, our garage doors should at the very least be “inspected and maintained every year” and adds that “grinding, scraping, or whirring sounds” are pretty clear cut indication that you need to do some garage door maintenance. Well, there you have it. Keep that ever-so important machine running smoothly by listening the king of home improvement and maintenance. Or don’t, and regret it later.