Door Maintenance

Doors are the trademark of the self-storage industry. When people see a series of doors, they think storage. Moreover, the condition of your doors plays a role in your facility’s overall appeal.

A well-maintained facility attracts more customers, operates more efficiently and has a higher market value. Even your best customers will get frustrated if doors don’t open and close easily or if their clothes and hands are soiled by chalk and dirt.

Many damaging elements take a toll on metal doors and buildings:

• Ultraviolet rays fade and chalk even the best paint.
• Salt air corrodes and pits the metal.
• Acid rain permanently etches metal.
• Dirt and dust settle and stick on chalky or oxidized doors.
• Dirt and grit collect in door guides, gumming up the mechanisms.

In addition, facility operators renting to commercial customers (who tend to enter and exit more frequently) may have noticed door bearings are missing. This steel-on-steel friction causes excessive wear if not maintained.

The best preventive maintenance is to perform quarterly or semiannual inspections to identify and solve problems as they occur. Look for signs of fading or aging paint, salt corrosion or acid rain. Once these problems begin, deterioration will accelerate rapidly and is more labor-intensive and expensive to fix. Check for fading, oxidation and corrosion on buildings, doors and other painted surfaces.

A good strategy is to check the color and gloss of a painted surface when wet. Use a wet cloth or sponge and see if there is a noticeable difference in color or gloss. If so, a proper application of an appropriate coating solves the problem. Repaint block, wood and concrete buildings, and refinish metal surfaces with a quality protective coating to prevent corrosion and oxidation. A coating that expands and contracts with metal is especially important for metal doors that flex when rolling up.

Salt-air corrosion is rough and bumpy on metal, normally worst at the top of doors. Even if your facility is miles from saltwater, metal buildings and doors can be victimized by corrosion. If you salt for snow and ice control, check door bottoms and metal buildings for decay before it causes major destruction. Protective coatings formulated to stop salt corrosion will halt additional damage.

Yet another foe is acid rain, which wreaks havoc on metal doors and buildings, even far from refineries, factories or power plants. Telltale signs are dark-streaked, permanent etchings. The damage can’t be reversed, but it can be prevented. To extend paint life, clean dirt and grime from surfaces by dusting or using a neutral-PH cleaner and water, taking care not to get water into the storage unit. Using pressure-washers is not recommended because water can seep into the unit if a stream is aimed above the door or directly at its edges. To avoid water spots on the surface, don’t rinse metal in direct sunlight, especially if you have hard water. Wait until the area is shaded. If you have extremely hard water, an inexpensive filter—found at RV supply and camping stores—helps prevent water spots.

Bird droppings are another corrosive and should be immediately cleaned from painted surfaces.

Interior doors don’t get chalky from sun damage like exterior doors, but they get dirty and can have salt-air corrosion even miles from the ocean. A recent survey of self-storage professionals revealed clean hallway doors is considered important, but the task can be very frustrating. Dust settles on doors and sticks to the ribs of roll-up versions. Grimy-handed customers leave marks that aren’t easily wiped away. The survey showed dusting is difficult because the dirt can be the result of traffic, roadwork and other factors. Dirt clings onto corrosion on interior doors, complicating the problem.

Some managers clean with soap, water and good-old elbow grease. Just be careful with spilling water in hallways. One spilled bucket means numerous leaks into customer units often lined with cardboard boxes.

Industrious owners ensure doors are wiped down once a month to avoid getting to the grimy stage. Another option is to use a one-step waterless cleaner to protect the metal and repel dust. Waterless cleaners eliminate potential spillage and are often formulated to leave a protective coating on metal.

Preventative maintenance should be considered part of your customer service and marketing programs. Customers see well-maintained, clean properties as safer and more secure. Since the appearance and smooth operation of your facility projects your image to the public, maintenance shouldn’t be considered a money waster, especially since it is—truly—a money maker. 

Teresa Sedmak is president of Everbrite Inc., which manufactures and markets Everbrite Protective Coating. She is also a licensed painting contractor with extensive experience and knowledge of protective coatings. For more information, call 800.304.0566; e-mail tsedmak@everbrite.net; visit www.renewstorage.com or www.onestepcleaner.com. 

Several procedures keep doors in good working order. Complete these when the unit is vacant:

• When sweeping out the unit, remove cobwebs and dirt from door guides. Use a rag to remove dirt interfering with smooth operations of the door. Don’t use grease or WD-40, which attracts dirt and grime, gumming up the rollers.
• Make sure doors are securely screwed into walls. Screws sometimes back out or fall out after excessive use.
• Oil or lubricate the springs with a light coat of oil to reduce friction and prevent rust. A silicone-based lubricant can also be used on the springs.
• On older doors, check the tension and adjust according to the manufacturer’s directions. Doors that are difficult to operate may need re-tensioning. Newer doors have simple tensioning devises and can be adjusted so even elderly people can open doors easily. Don’t forget: Tenants who hurt their backs trying to raise doors sometimes file lawsuits.
• Check pull cords for damage, especially if they are on the outside. Frayed cords look shoddy. Nylon rope makes very durable pull cords, particularly in colder areas where routine winter maintenance (i.e., snow-blowing) can damage them. The cord ends can be melted or singed to prevent fraying.
• Inspect the unit for signs of leakage, replacing and cleaning weather seals as necessary. One door manufacturer recommends a thin coat of Vaseline to prevent rot.