Like all parts of your house, sometimes your garage door needs a little extra attention. Here are three ways that you can take care of your wooden garage door this summer.

Clean & Lubricate All Moving Parts

The first thing you need to do is make sure that you are taking care of all the parts that move on your garage door. Use a damp rag to clean all the moving parts on your garage door, including the chain, rollers, tracks and hardware on your garage. Dirt and dust can gradually build up on all of these moving pieces and impede their function.

After you have cleaned all of these pieces, spray white lithium grease on all the moving parts. Do not drench them, just give them a little spray of grease. If necessary, use an old rag to rub in the grease and effectively cover all the moving parts of your garage. This will help your garage door open and close smoothly.

Inspect & Replace The Weather Stripping

Second, you need to inspect the weather stripping on your garage door. The weather stripping is the rubber strip that runs across the bottom of your garage door. Its purpose is to seal the space between the bottom of your garage door and the floor of your garage. When it becomes brittle and begins to crack, the weather stripping is no longer effective.

If your weather stripping has become brittle and cracked, you need to replace it. This is a relatively simple task. Just measure the length of your garage door and purchase the weather stripping from your local hardware store. You'll need to pull the old weather stripping off your garage door and insert the new weather stripping into the grooves of your garage door with the wide angle pointed at the inside of your garage.

Inspect & Treat The Wood

Finally, you need to inspect and treat the wood on your garage door. Carefully look over your garage door on the inside and the outside and look for any area where the wood has become warped or where the paint has cracked.

If the paint has cracked or the wood has warped, you will want to treat the wood. Use a wood sealer to seal and protect the wood on your garage door. If the paint has become cracked, repaint your garage door to further protect it against the elements.

By completing the three steps above every summer, you should be able to protect the integrity of your garage door for years to come. Contact a company like A & J Garage Door Inc for more information.