Regular Garage Maintenance To Keep Your Garage Running Smooth

Many people simply get their car in and out of their garage, without giving much thought to the maintenance of the space. For some, the garage is a low or no maintenance part of the home that does not call for much attention. However, you need regular garage maintenance to keep your garage running smooth and if you’re in Arizona, check out garagedoorsatchandler.com for more information.

 

Tips on Regular Garage Maintenance To Keep Your Garage Running Smooth

1. Regularly check your foundation and garage walls

You need to regularly inspect the foundation, exterior, and interior walls of the garage for any signs of cracks or moisture. Call a roofing to building contractor if you find any evidence of moisture seepage, mold, or discoloration.

Any cracks in the foundation or walls lesser than a quarter inch wide are harmless if they are not causing any water seepage. You need to get an expert to repair anything bigger than a quarter inch if you find one side of the roof is lower, or one end of the foundation seems to have settled. If possible, get a structural engineer, who even if they charge $200 or $300 an hour, is unlikely to exaggerate the problem to secure a repair contract.

 

2. Keep the garage floor clean

While you may keep a lot of your junk in the garage, it does not mean that you have to leave it looking like junk. At least once a month hose down the floor and wipe away pockmarks, stains, and slip hazards.

Cleaning is an important aspect of not only maintaining the garage but also keeping yourself and the family safe. For instance, by keeping the garage floor clean, you can identify trip hazards earlier and take action. It may not be advisable to use any sealant on your concrete garage slab since, in our experience, garage slabs with sealant tend to become slippery, discolor, and chip, making the aesthetics and ease of cleaning just not worth it.

You may notice hairline fractures on the cement over time, but this should not concern you. Nonetheless, if any of the cracks are more than a quarter inch, then you could try to repair it with a concrete mix you can get from the local hardware store. However since patched concrete will frequently not adhere to the old concrete, particularly if a car regularly rides over the patch, it may be advisable to engage the services of a licensed contractor to repair any significant fractures.

 

3. Clean the gutters and interior doors

On a biannual or annual basis, inspect and clean the interior door to ensure the weather seal fits snugly. Moreover, since most building codes make it a requirement that any door that is an entry to the home be self-closing and fire rated, regular checking is essential. Check that the self-closing mechanism is still working as expected. In case it is damaged, or not up to the standard, repair or replace it. A new working fire rated door will only set you back from $200-$300, while the installation will be from $30-$80. If your garage comes with gutters, you need to clean and inspect then every fall and spring for any damage from the elements. You could also check the roof for any missing or damaged tiles or shingles.

 

4. Have regular checkup of the garage door

While some of the modern garage doors are made of plastic material or are self-lubricated thus needing no oil, you still need to ensure that the door opens and closes smoothly. The oiling, checking for photo-eye alignment, testing of the reverse mechanism, and the balance of the door, are critical to keeping your door in good working order. If you happen to have doors with metallic tracks, hinges, and rollers, annual oiling of the parts is necessary. A leaf blower will come in handy in blasting off any bugs, cobwebs, dust, grime, and grit from the doors moving parts.

Once every month, check the bottom of the garage door to ensure the rubber seal is intact. Wear and tear can result in a hardened or chipped seal, which may cause leaks into the garage. If you find that the seal is damaged, check to see if the door is connecting with the ground too forcefully, crushing the seal. A good door seal will not allow any light from outside to come in at the bottom of the door. If you find any such problem, use a screwdriver to change the travel limit settings on the opener’s control box.

 

5. Check for any pest infestation

It is very easy for insects like carpenter ants, and termites to do significant damage to your garage walls, if you do not inspect them regularly. Inspect all moist, cool, and dark spots, particularly where the foundations meet the walls, for any holes from termites or carpenter ants. Carpenter ants will tunnel the wood while termites typically digest it. If there is evidence if chewed wood, you probably have termites. If you find sawdust trails, you are most likely dealing with carpenter ants. Call in a professional exterminator as soon as you find any evidence of these insects, to prevent further damage.

Following these tips for regular garage maintenance to Keep your garage running smooth will ensure that you have a garage that not only serves you and you family for a long time, but one that is also safe.