As one of the most used entrances to your home, your garage door endures plenty of wear and tear. Performing seasonal maintenance helps keep your door operating smoothly, safely and looking its best. Follow this guide to learn about key garage door care tasks UK homeowners should tackle each season.

Springtime Checks

The sunny days of spring are perfect for garage door tune-ups. Start by:

– Checking tracks and rollers for debris, damage or alignment issues and cleaning buildup. Address any worn parts.

– Testing springs, cables, pulleys and hinges for signs of fatigue and replacing any questionable components proactively.

– Lubricating moving metal parts like rollers, hinges and pulleys using silicone spray.

– Doing an operational check ensuring the door opens and closes properly with doors reversing when obstructed.

– Touching up paint and treating wood doors to restore wintertime weathering damage and keep moisture out.

– Clearing gutters and drain spouts around the garage to improve water drainage.

Spring maintenance prevents operational problems before they occur.

Summer Preparations

Prevent issues caused by summer storms and sun with:

– Seal inspections around door edges and closing gaps with weatherstripping to avoid water ingress during downpours.

– Hardware checks ensuring latches, handles and locks engage fully and securely. Replace loose or sticking hardware.

– Chain/belt examination to replace frayed or rusty ones before they break.

– Applying sunscreens to windows and wood overlays to prevent UV damage.

Proper sealing, hardware function and sun protection preserve doors through harsh summer conditions.

Autumn Overhaul

As a transition season, autumn is perfect for an intensive tune-up:

– Full opener recalibration, force adjustment, and sensitivity testing for complete peace of mind going into winter.

– Belt/chain tightening to account for any slack from stretching over the year.

– Alignment corrections and track bolt tightening if rollers don’t move smoothly.

– Insulation inspection around edges and replacement of degraded material to prepare for cold and drafts.

– Weatherstripping audit and replacement ensuring a tight seal.

Comprehensive fall maintenance ensures peak function during frigid winter.

Winter Protection

Guard against issues like freezing and corrosion during cold months by:

– Lubricating moving parts and hinges to prevent sticking. Lighter oil prevents freezing up.

– Covering external electronic keypads or switches to keep mechanisms moving freely.

– Checking for gaps or cracks and sealing any breaches to protect from drafts and melting snow.

– Installing winter panels on glass doors to reduce heat loss.

– Brushing snow and ice promptly from doors and tracks to avoid operational problems.

With vigilant seasonal maintenance, UK homeowners can keep garage doors running like new year after year.