Maximizing your Garage Door Life Cycle

Getting to know your garage door

Whether it is your first time owning a house with a garage or you are looking to get a new garage door installed it is important to have an idea of what to expect. Garage doors can be an amazing convenience operating at just the push of a button when all aspects are functioning properly, but what things wear out first and how does a homeowner know when to get repairs before the once convenient task becomes a hassle. You might be wondering how you can keep your garage door operating without waiting for things to go wrong? The first step is to have consistent preventative maintenance checking all aspects as well as keeping the moving parts lubricated. General repairs are sometimes missed as one broken roller or hinge may not be noticed in day to day use, but without proper inspection and repair the small things can break down more important components faster than normal. Garage door springs are a crucial role in your doors everyday operation and when broken can be a major inconvenience. Many garage doors have a garage door opener which is best defined as a guiding hand for the garage door to operate smoothly and safely including safety features that are important in keeping you and your family safe and secure.

Tune-ups and Inspections

The first step in maximizing your garage doors life cycle is to get to know your garage door. The best way to find out where your garage door is currently at in its life cycle is by having your garage door properly serviced by a trained technician. While most aspects of annual service or tune-ups can be completed by any homeowner, a trained technician has the knowledge and training to spot things most homeowners may miss that can be vital to keeping a garage door on track. Almost all manufacturers recommend tune-ups or servicing every 6 months to ensure all hardwear stays tight as well as keeping all moving parts properly lubricated, however it is strongly recommended that at least once a year a trained technician performs a proper tune-up and inspection going over the door thoroughly checking all aspects of the door. During this process a technician should review all of their findings with the homeowner providing them with any needed or upcoming repairs as well as proper information on what things may be expected in the coming year leading up to the next tune-up and inspection. Be sure to get any written information for your records to reference if needed and use these tune-ups to have a plan for your garage keeping it operating smoothly.

Hinges and Rollers

Garage doors life cycle is highly dependent on how often a garage door is operated, fully opening and closing is one cycle. On average a garage door sees 3-5 cycles a day in a family home. In the first 5 years of a garage door and openers life cycle tune-ups are a major part of extending or meeting the life of rollers and hinges that continuously move as a door operates generally being the first things needing repaired or replaced. Without proper tune-ups rollers and hinges can bind and break without showing major signs to homeowners causing increased friction and drag while a door operates. Avoiding binding hinges and broken rollers with lubrication and timely replacement can help increase the life of more critical parts such as springs and openers. High use garage doors and heavier doors, such as wooden doors, can wear down rollers and hinges quickly without proper lubrication needing to be replaced as often as every two years in some cases. Another thing that commonly breaks down rollers and hinges is increased debris which based on one location or how you use your garage can be unavoidable, which means proper service can help as well as a plan on replacing the parts before they break. Overall lubrication is key to protecting your garage doors rollers and hinges, as well as having scheduled replacement before actual failure will aid in extending the life of other aspects of your garage door. 

Garage Door Springs

Even with proper service, tune-ups, and keeping rollers and hinges in good condition you cannot avoid that springs will eventually reach the end of their life cycle. That being said springs are given an estimated life cycle based on cycles (fully open then close the garage door) generally between 10,000 and 20,000 cycles. Keeping your springs properly lubricated as well as rollers, hinges, and keeping tracks clear of debris all play a role in the life of garage door springs. During annual tune-ups a technician will test the balance and tension of your garage door springs as well as clearing debris from tracks helps with meeting or exceeding the life expectancy. In most cases it is extremely hard to estimate how long a spring has till it will break but technicians do their best to assess that a spring will most likely make it to the next annual tune-up and inspection. It is a major inconvenience when springs do break as garage door openers are not intended to lift the full weight of a garage door and can leave your car trapped in the garage till the spring(s) are replaced, with that in mind when a garage door technician gives an indication a spring is nearing the end of its life it is always a good idea to prepare for a spring replacement and if possible do so before they break. There are a few positives to replacing springs before they break such as not becoming trapped in an untimely circumstance; protecting other aspects of your garage door such as hinges, rollers, and your garage door opener.

Garage Door Openers (GDO’s)

The last component you’ll want to familiarize yourself with is the garage door opener. Although replacement is at times necessary, other than the sections of a garage door your opener will generally outlast all other aspects up to and sometimes past 15 years! Keeping on top of the aspects we have covered can ensure you get the most out of your garage door opener which is the guiding hand that safely opens and closes your garage door. Ultimately the garage door opener also has all of the safety features involved with a garage door including safety sensors to keep the door from closing on obvious obstructions, as well as a safety reverse mechanism to keep from crushing or entrapping animals or children that the sensors miss, and lastly pressure control keeping the opener from operating the door with broken springs or obstructions in the track. During annual tune-ups and inspections a trained technician should be checking all of these safety features to ensure they are working properly and safely. When features fail there can be repairs but at times replacement is the best option for ongoing safety moving forward. 

Overview of Maximizing Garage Door Lifecycle

Overall every garage door is different but the steps to keeping your garage door on track to a long life cycle is done with just a few easy steps. Stay on top of annual tune-ups ensuring hardwear is tight and proper lubrication is done when needed. Replace rollers and hinges as they wear down to reduce friction and strain on springs and openers. Be sure that technicians review your annual tune-up to help create future plans to replace worn out parts such as springs before they become a major inconvenience to you and your family. Finally always inspect garage door openers safety features and replace sensors or the complete opener when needed. Ideally you will want to find a trustworthy company that will complete annual tune-ups and repairs with your safety in mind as well as help provide proactive plans to reduce the chances of untimely repairs.