How to Avoid Costly Repairs for Your Garage Door The amount of wear and tear on your garage door is enormous. This big, heavy door opens up and down (or in some cases, side to side) at least once a day, oft times more. A garage door covers the largest exposure to the outside of a home or business. And whether you have a manually operated garage door or a sophisticated system that opens the door and turns on the light automatically, the basic mechanics of the door are still the same: individual door panels are hinged together and roll in an installed track to open and close the garage space to the outside. An average garage door, when properly installed and maintained, can last for as long as 30 years (providing no one drives through the door or something like that). An electric door opener motor typically can last between 10 and 15 years under normal conditions. The door springs, which represent the most common type of repair call for garage door repair technicians, have a life expectancy estimated in terms of cycles rather than years. One cycle is equal to the garage door being opened and closed one time. Torsion springs, mounted above the garage door, are rated between 15,000 and 20,000 cycles. Tension springs, which can be found either above the door tracks or mounted on either side of the garage door, have an estimated life of 5,000 to 10,000 cycles. Bottom line – the more you use your garage door, the sooner your springs will break. Maintain before repair. A conscientiously followed schedule of regular inspection and maintenance for your garage door system is the best insurance against having to do major repairs or replacement of a door system. A little attention to the mechanics of your garage door can go a long way in keeping it functional and problem free. Keep it clean. If your garage door is wood, then a seasonal cleaning with an anti-mildew detergent can keep the paint in good shape and the wood protected under everyday circumstances. Repainting the door when it is needed should keep a wood garage door in fine fettle. A steel garage door can be simply hosed down to stay clean or power washed when extremely dirty. If the garage door system has a photo sensor or a camera associated with it, be sure to clean these components too. Keep the doors tracks and rollers free from dirt and grease that can cause damage over time. Keep it smooth. Any layman can keep the moving parts of their garage door system with a little spray of a light household oil applied every three months or so. Anything more involved should be handled by a professional. With more than 35 years of experience with installation and repairs of garage doors, you can feel confident in choosing On Track Garage Doors for your residential and commercial applications! We service all of Westchester, Putnam, Rockland, and Dutchess counties for your garage door needs; from broken springs, pulleys, and cables, as well as service and repair for your electric motor. Our trucks are equipped with all necessary repair parts, so we are able to take care of all your repair needs in one trip!
