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How to Make Your Garage Door Last as Long as Possible
Considering normal wear and tear, just how long should a garage door last? It depends. First of all, the manufacturer will provide you with an official rough estimate. Furthermore, if the construction materials are of excellent quality, your garage door is bound to last much longer than average.
A garage door is a major part of your home’s appearance and value. It’s certainly a big decision, choosing to install a new garage door, since it could cost a significant amount. Instead, a good option is that you can simply keep the one you’ve got, and maintain it so it stays in good condition. Ideally, you want it to keep functioning and looking as nice as you can, and for as long as you can.
Modern garage doors are of better quality than your parents’ garage doors. Nowadays they’re manufactured according to stricter safety standards. A premium-quality garage door helps provide a barrier for the reduction of heat transfer into the garage. Hardware and door sections of optimum-quality garage doors are thoroughly tested and offer better warranties.
When you think about it, your garage door is the largest operating appliance in your home. Make sure to keep it in superior shape. Particularly if you use your garage as a game room or a workshop, you’ll need to have a well-maintained garage, which includes starting out with a solid and reliable garage door.
Follow a maintenance schedule.
Be sure to follow the regular maintenance schedule recommended by your local garage door experts. For extra safety, inspect the components of your garage door system around once a month. Replace any worn parts as you discover them, and tighten down any loose bolts you find. If you notice any uncommon noises whenever your garage door opens or closes, then investigate. If there are issues with pulleys, wires, springs, and cables will definitely require extra attention from a professional. Even if you don’t notice anything significant, it’s best to schedule an annual inspection with a trusty local garage door repair service.
It’s relatively easy, and well worth the time and effort needed to maintain your garage door. You’ll save money over the long haul. You won’t have to spend a lot on repairs, nor should you have to replace it for many years.
Keep it clean.
Make your garage door last longer by washing it, on both sides, with a sponge and some water and mild dish soap. Using clean water, rinse it well. Don’t forget the garage door opener sensor eyes: Wash it with a clean, dry cloth. Keep the area around the sensors free of dirt and cobwebs.
- Do you have a wooden garage door? If you ever see any signs of chipping and peeling, you can maintain exceptional curb appeal by adding a fresh coat of paint.
- Is your garage door made of steel? Wash it at minimum every other year. For added cold-weather protection, apply car wax.
Keep it balanced.
Check the balance at least twice per year:
- Disconnect the door from the opener, and operate it manually. (Pull down on the rope hanging from the opener, and this will disconnect the door, so you can lift it up.)
- At approximately 3 or 4 feet from the floor, the door should balance. If the door’s too heavy, if there’s resistance, or if the door doesn’t stay all the way up, the spring will need adjusting, so hire a local dependable garage door expert.
- Check your owner’s manual for instructions on how to reattach the garage door to your garage door opener.
Keep it lubricated.
Most garage door springs last for about ten years. The most common reasons garage door repair is required are broken cables and springs. To do as much as possible to prevent the need for repairs, always keep your garage door springs, rollers, and hinges lubricated.
Most garage door professional technicians will tell you that it’s necessary to keep the springs lubricated once a year, right before winter; other experts say to do it every three months. In any case, use a reputable brand, so it won’t dry out.
Without lubrication, your garage door springs will eventually rust, and the coils will bind. It doesn’t take much; a light coating is all you need. Don’t use anything too heavy, or it will attract more grime and dirt.
You can also do your part to prolong the life of your garage door opener. Most garage door openers can last a good twenty years. Keep an eye on the opener’s main gear. Open the case, and lubricate the main gear with white lithium grease.
Keep it safe.
It’s important to check the garage door’s safety features regularly. Wave in front of the electronic eye in order to check the door’s safety sensors. The door should go back up when the beam is broken.
Keep it working.
- Operate your garage door one full cycle (open and close), making sure it’s smooth.
- Examine the automatic reversing garage door opener feature: When the door is on its way down, grab it, giving it a bit of resistance, to see if it reverses. If it doesn’t, then the opener’s sensitivity needs adjusting by a professional.
- If the garage door doesn’t reverse, or if you see any other issues, it’s time to hire a qualified garage door expert to inspect, repair, adjust, and/or replace what’s needed.
CAUTION!
Avoid serious injury! Unless you’re an engineer, NEVER ATTEMPT to adjust the spring tension on your garage door by yourself! Only an exceedingly qualified garage door professional technician can provide the proper maintenance you need. Your garage door springs are always under high tension, and if not serviced correctly, they can cause serious injury, and even death. Along with the garage door springs, the drums, cables, and also the garage door bottom brackets, which the cables attach to, are all under high pressure.