How to Extend the Life of Your Garage Door

Your garage door does have a life cycle. The amount of time you are able to have yours depends on a couple of factors, which we will discuss in the following article. You likely already know that your garage door has lots of parts. You should be able to keep your door for as long as 30 years or longer. However, the garage opener typically only lasts for about 10-years. Thee are only approximate years not definite. The length of time depends on the level of care, use, and maintenance. You also need to consider the quality of door, parts and the door accessories installed. We also include how the door was installed and the materials used.

Maintaining Your Garage Door

The main reason that your garage door should be properly maintained is to continue safely using it. Since most of us live such busy lives, we can’t afford to experience problems with our garage door. We need to know that when we are leaving for work or an appointment or drop off kids; that the door will work when we need it to. When your garage door is not working properly, it can cost in repairs and possibly even a new door.

This cost you a lot of money in the long run. If you are attempting to sell a home and they recognize a problem with the garage door, you’ll need to take this into consideration when an offer is made. The purchaser is definitely going to consider the cost associated with repairs or possibly replacing the door altogether. Your homes curb appeal also encompasses the appearance of your garage door. They don’t need to have any experience in appraising homes to look at your garage door to determine if it needs work. The benefits of garage door maintenance means the longer you will have your garage door. It also means that you will be able to sell your home faster. The benefits of keeping up with the maintenance of your garage door are numerous but the biggest advantage is that you can keep your door for longer.

Your Garage Door Compared to Appliances

There are appliances in your home that need to be properly maintained in order to keep them as long as possible. You probably have to clean your refrigerator from time to time to make sure that it continues to work like it should. This also applies to your garage door. It is the largest piece of equipment in your home and needs routine maintenance. Here are a few helpful suggestions for maintaining your garage door.

Ways to Maintain Your Door

If you have a house where the garage door faces south, you might consider insulating it in order to transfer heat. If you use your garage as living space for a home office or gym, it should be thermally insulated with a high PR value. Keep your springs in good working condition too. This is one of the problems that we are called on to repair most often. However by paying attention to the way your door opens and closes, you can avoid replacing them and have them repaired instead. It is important to take care of any spring repair problems so that you can avoid injury and keep your door working as usual.

Maintaining your garage door might sound like a daunting task but it really isn’t. You should expect some parts of your garage door to wear out over time. This is expected. It is pretty easy and isn’t all that time consuming if you know what to do and where to start. You should start by making sure the door is clean, inside and outside. This can be done with water and a mild detergent. If your door is made of wood, you should paint it once you begin to see the paint chipping or peeling.

Doors made of wood composites don’t need painting. Keep the sensors clean. You can do this with a clean and dry cloth. They must be kept clean in order for the sensors to communicate effectively with the garage door opener. They will sense when objects are in the way of the sensors. If they detect something, the door will not open or close. Keep the area around the door sensors clean of mud, dirt, tools, cobwebs and any other objects that can obstruct its view, even hanging wires should be removed from in front of sensors.

Lubricating Parts

Keeping your parts lubricated is very important to the functioning of your garage door. Your hinges, springs and rollers should be lubricated every 3 months with a light WD-40 spray. Be careful not to use to much lubricant as this will attract dirt and grime.

Check Door Cables

Once a month, check the cables, bolts and wires. You should check for lose or frayed cables. Tighten up the bolts and look for rust build up and erosion. Your springs should also be checked for the same things, fraying. Check rollers, your door handles and pulleys for wearing. If you need anything unusual, address it quickly before it begins to affect the way your door functions and begins to affect the appearance of your garage door.

It is no secret that you can rely on us for your service needs, including keeping up the maintenance of your garage door. However, in between our visit, it is important that homeowners pay close attention to the condition of their garage door if they want to keep it as long as possible. Again, this doesn’t make much but it does take some effort on your part to listen for strange noises and make any repairs needed immediately. Properly maintaining your garage door will help to prolong the life of your garage door.