A garage door protects your bicycles and cars from external factors that might cause them damage, such as snow, wind, rain, and scorching heat. Aside from that, they also secure your home against invasions.
Since most invasions occur with garage doors more than ten years old, it’s best to determine whether or not it’s time to get a new garage door installation. Some damages can be solved with a garage door repair. But, how would you know if it’s time to change your garage door?
Here we discuss the factors that can affect a garage door’s lifespan and how to extend it:
How long can a garage door last?
The lifespan of garage doors is usually between 15 and 30 years. However, it mainly depends on many factors. This includes the quality of the door, how it is maintained, how often it’s used, and the local climate, among others.
- Care- If you took care of your garage door well with routine maintenance, it would likely last longer. Maintenance works like anti-aging cream, but for garage doors. It slows down the aging of the garage door material, whether wood, steel, etc. The recommended time for a garage door service is at least once a year, including tightening screws and bolts, lubricating the door, and adjusting spring tension.
- Price and quality- Another factor impacting a garage door’s lifespan is its quality and price. Although the price doesn’t always determine quality, most cheap garage doors provide poor performance. So, it’s best to invest in a good quality garage door regardless of its price.
- Usage- The springs that hold your garage door determine how many times you can open and close it. Using your garage door often makes you closer to having a garage door spring repair or replacement, whichever comes first.
- Local climate- Environmental factors like wind, heat, snow, and rain can also reduce the lifespan of your garage door. For those whose home is in a cold area, it will help if you take measures to keep it protected.
Note that the garage door is a complex system with many parts. An important part of the system is the spring, which usually has a lifecycle of 10,000 cycles. To put it simply, using your garage two cycles daily allows it to last for around 14 years. If you use it four cycles daily, it could last at least seven years. For six daily cycles, your garage door will likely last 3.5 years.
You may need to replace your garage door’s spring at least twice or three times before replacing the door itself. Another component that will require replacement over time is the garage opener, which lasts from 10 to 15 years.
How to extend the lifespan of the garage door
Below are steps included in garage door maintenance:
- Test the sensors and safety reversal system
When your garage door collides with an object or obstacle, mandatory safety reversal systems ensure that it automatically reverses. If these systems fail, there could be an accident or property damage. Once your garage door collides with something and does not reverse, what happens is that it will continue to exert force until the resistance is removed. Unfortunately, some homeowners aren’t aware that impediments prevent their garage door from closing completely. It continually strains your garage door system, which significantly reduces its lifespan. - Lubricate
Set a regular schedule to lubricate your garage door spring, tracks, rollers, and weatherstrip with a silicone-based gel. A well-lubricated garage door allows it to keep friction from tearing and wearing it. - Check the door opener
Consider the door opener as the captain of the entire garage door system. It is why it needs to be well-conditioned all the time. Check it from time to time to ensure that the garage door opens and closes smoothly. The garage door opener should be replaced after 15 years. - Check the spring
The spring takes the most damage every time you use the garage door. So, check it once a month to detect the early stages of issues. - Align tracks
For smooth operation, the tracks should be properly aligned. Even a slight alignment issue can strain the rest of the garage door components. Ask a reputable garage door company to align the tracks. This is no easy fix.
Overall, your garage door might last up to 15 years. However, it still depends on various things, such as maintenance, use, quality, and many more. If you wish to extend the lifespan of your garage door, keep it well maintained and use it well.