Decatur Garage Door Services: Garage Door Maintenance, Spores

If you have a nice home with a reliable garage door, you know that at least some of the time, maintenance is needed. This is especially true if the garage door is not brand new. Obviously, everyone wants their garage door to last a long time – it’s not cheap, after all! It’s important to ensure you are performing the proper maintenance, or hiring someone to do it. Decatur Garage Door Services wants to provide information regarding something that not a lot of people think about or have on the top of their to-do list - garage door maintenance and spores. We do believe you will find this information to be useful and hope that no matter where you are, you consider the importance of garage door maintenance and think about spores! 

Why You Need Garage Door Maintenance

Maintenance for your garage door is mandatory. Let’s say that rather than addressing, you ignore features that are problematic. Let’s say you let it go when you see parts are dirty, or rusted. Let’s say you don’t immediately fix an unusual noise or improperly functioning garage door. If you do this, you could end up with a much bigger problem on your hands. Certain matters are obviously more pressing than others, but if you can see mold spores starting to develop, you need to deal with this or have someone come out fast to deal with the problem before it becomes worse. 

Mold problems are, in a word, gross. Not only is mold extremely unpleasant to look at and embarrassing (remember the last time you had company, and they noticed some mold growing in your shower? Yuck!) The other issue with mold is that it is not healthy. You can throw bleach on it, but if you do this you are going to see all it does is come right back. Your garage might be humid and dark – and guess what? This is the type of place mold thrives. If you live in Decatur, GA or the surrounding area, you deal with humid temperatures at times. If you have noticed mold, no, you don’t have to start shopping around for a brand-new garage door. But you do want to get this issue under control fast. 

Make Sure Your Garage Is Protected from Mold 

You want every aspect of your property to mold proof. This includes the garage and garage door. There are things you can do to try to stop mold from forming in the first place, even though it can’t always be stopped completely. You might have noticed, if you have a bamboo or wood stool in your shower to store your products, that it develops mold very fast. The same idea applies to your garage. Wood studs will develop mold faster than, say, metal. So, you might want to go with metal over wood studs with your garage door, or vinyl siding instead of traditional wood. Whether you are a contractor or working directly with one to improve your property, let them know you are concerned about preventing mold. Being proactive is so important. 

Keep the Air Dry

As mentioned, you can’t always stop mold from developing in the first place, but you can get mold growth under control. So, what are you supposed to do? Keep the air in the garage as dry as you are able to. You can do this by having fans installed in your garage. You can air out your garage sometimes on days that aren’t particularly hot and humid. You can make sure the garage has good ventilation. You could even invest in a dehumidifier to get rid of moisture. These are all good ideas and sure to help at least a little. 

Check for Leaks

Make sure you don’t have a leak. These can hide out in places like your garage door roof or in the ceiling. These aren’t the easiest to fix, so you might need to hire someone. But even if it is not very humid outside, the water getting inside can end up causing mold because it becomes wet and moist inside. This can lead to mold spores. Don’t ignore a problem with a leak, especially if it is in your roof because it can become severe fast. 

If You Already Have Mold Spores, Don’t Panic

Now that you have an idea of how to stop mold, what are you expected to do if there already is mold in the garage? First and foremost, stay calm. Panicking will not fix anything because mold spores aren’t afraid of panic! You do, however, want to get rid of the problem. You can try using bleach as a temporary solution. If you have spore on the floors, doors or walls, you do want to take care of it quickly. 

Are you all about natural cleaning solutions? Maybe you are pregnant and can’t work with harsh cleaning products, but you do want to get rid of the mold yourself. Try vinegar. It’s a good cleaning product but it is not toxic and harsh like a product such as bleach. However, this won’t provide a permanent fix. You can also try denatured alcohol. 

Try, if the weather allows for it, to keep the garage door open if you are cleaning with harsh products like bleach or chemicals. It’s not good to inhale these fumes, so it’s best to wait until you can air out the garage while you are cleaning. 

If you end up discovering mold spores in your garage or growing on your garage door, you can always contact a garage door repair professional. A company in your location should be able to send someone out to assess the situation. An expert will know what to do, and they will have the tools to get the job done. If you happen to be in the area we service, feel free to give us a ring for a free consultation and price quote for services.