Spring Cleaning Checklist for Your Hangar

As the calendar turns over into longer and warmer days, all you really want to do is arrive at your hangar, lift the hangar door, and take flight, right? It can be that easy, but only with a regular maintenance routine, which requires some pre-planning and a few days of grunt work. It’s worth it, though, for a season of ease.

Here’s a checklist of what you need to do to make sure your hangar is in tip-top shape for flying season:

Interior Hangar Cleaning

• Remove any expired products or chemicals from your storage and order replacement products to replenish your supply
• Collect, organize, and categorize loose equipment, tools, and parts—take an inventory of the tools you have and make note of any you need to replace
• Dust off cabinets, stools, and other surfaces
• Assess your stock of important supplies in your hangar, including your restroom facilities, cleaning supplies (mop, broom, oil mops, buckets, aircraft appropriate cleaning detergents, microfiber cloths, etc.), the first aid kit (Band-Aids, antibacterial ointment, pain reliever, etc.), locks, flashlights, fire extinguishers, and so on
• Check electrical equipment, HVAC filters and systems, smoke detectors, and hangar door operations (more on that below)

Hangar Door Maintenance

If You Have a Para-Port® Hangar Door:

Para-Port® hangar doors require less maintenance than your typical hangar door. Since Para-Port® hangar doors do not employee the same mechanisms as hydraulic or bi-fold hangar doors, our doors offer a reliable alternative with the lowest total cost of ownership. You can change your constant hangar door maintenance to a simple, annual check up when you shift to a Para-Port® hangar door. All hangar door maintenance occurs at ground level. 

• Be sure that all nuts and bolts, retainer clips, setscrews, etc. are tightened if necessary
• Adjust the drive chains on the carriage if necessary
• Hold-downs should be checked to assure a tight seal
• Clean the curtain material with water, a mild detergent, and a soft cloth
• Check cables, change oil, and check the gear boxes
• Grease fittings

If You Have a Bi-fold or Hydraulic Hangar Door:

As the gateway to your time in the sky, you want your hangar door to be reliable all year round, so at least once a year, take the time to run a thorough inspection and maintenance routine to ensure that your hangar door is ready for business. Here are some tips as recommended by Aviation Pros:

• Lubricate hinges, rollers, and operating mechanism
• Evaluate the door itself for any signs of damage
• On bifold doors, look for any frays or tears in the cables or straps, ensure that these line up properly over the drum, and assess whether the cables or straps are equally taut and hold the door in a straight, vertical position when the door is closed
• Inspect the lines, hoses, and cylinders on hydraulic doors for leaks
• Check the oil level on hydraulic doors and refill if it’s low, and while you’re at it, inspect the gearbox fluid level and drive chains for proper alignment—if the gearbox is low, don’t forget to check the seals for leaks
• Check the durability of your latches—they should be tight against the door jamb to prevent injuries and wind damage
• Test the brake system of your door by stopping it 4-5 feet above the ground. If it doesn’t come to an immediate stop, the gearbox teeth may be worn down. If the door coasts three inches or more, you might need to add a brake system
• Assess whether the door is closing all the way or opening all the way. Sometimes the limit switch, which controls how far open or closed the door can be, needs to be reset. Adjusting this from time to time can prevent your hangar from being exposed to the elements.
• Review your hangar door for safety, making sure that all of the guards, shields, and warning labels are in their proper place
• Wipe clean the lens on the sensor that identifies when an object is in the way of the door to make sure it operates properly

If during the process of inspecting your hangar door, you come across damage or wear and tear that is more costly than you anticipated or you are tired of dealing with these kind of maintenance issues, it might be time to think about replacing your hangar door. Para-Port® doors are an ideal retrofit option no matter what kind of door you had in place before. Explore our hangar doors and reach out for more information and a quote if it’s time to upgrade your hangar.