Spring cleaning may be more popular, but fall is the perfect time to focus on your garage. Your garage, garage door, and door opening system are all extremely important to your living and working style and that of your family, especially in the winter, so make a fall maintenance list and stick to it before the winter cold sets in.
Clean it out
Target the house for spring cleaning and spend fall decluttering your garage. Why? Because even if your garage is detached, parking your car inside it is preferable to having to clear off snow and ice every morning.
Most families tend to “spread out” in the garage during the summer months. The lawn mower, landscaping tools, yard toys, and tables and chairs used for outdoor entertaining are slid in for easy access while the cars are left in the driveway for want of space. Meanwhile, unused items from the house (those things you removed during spring cleaning) also have found a home in the garage. Get rid of those items you no longer need and make room to store those items you won’t be using in the winter.
Create more storage space
Shelving, cabinets, and bins will help keep your garage more organized from season to season. Shift your lawn tools and summer seating to elevated hooks and shelves and bring down those items you will need for fall and winter, such as leaf blowers, snow shovels and snow blowers. Put away camping and fishing gear in marked bins and bring forward your skiing equipment.
If your garage is a mix of broken shelving and cardboard boxes, consider shopping for used shelving or pick up old kitchen cabinets from a neighbor’s remodel and install them in your garage.
Check your garage door and opener
Take a few minutes to watch and listen as you open and close your garage door. With cold weather on the way, your garage will become the primary entrance to your house, so ensuring your garage door and opening system are in good working order is crucial.
Listen for unusual sounds or excessive noise, check the drive track, and observe the movement of the rollers and springs. Worn parts should be replaced and all the moving parts on your garage door should be lubricated at this time of year.
Fall also is the perfect time to check weatherstripping for wear and clean up joints and crevices to ensure you start the cold season with a good seal. You may also consider a fresh coat of paint to protect wood garage doors from the elements.
At Above & Beyond Door Systems, we provide a multi-point inspection that will ready your garage door and opening system for anything the winter months can dish out. Call today to schedule your inspection and any repairs you may need. Remember, garage doors and springs operate under extreme tension and should be serviced by a professional.