Timeline for the Most Common Garage Door Repairs

Garage door repair is not something you want to encounter unexpectedly. If so, that means you’re dealing with a broken-down door. At that point, all you can do is call the repairman. However, with a proactive approach, that may not be necessary. Instead, by following a regular maintenance plan, you’ll rarely have any issues. Of course, to do so requires a little knowledge. Luckily, we’ve got that in spades.

What Are the Most Common Garage Door Repairs?

First, let’s consider what you might see. That way, any time you inspect the garage, you’ll know how to identify issues. Otherwise, even the most diligent inspections wouldn’t turn up anything. For the most part, you’ll find garages experience similar issues. These tend to crop up over time. So, by learning how to identify those, you’ll simplify this whole process. That said, unless you remember to check, no amount of information will suffice.

Dirty Rollers

How do you know if the rollers aren’t clean? Well, if you have been using the garage door, then they are not going to be spotless. Generally speaking, you’d clean them every 6 months. Unless you live in an area with lots of dust, that should be long enough between inspections. Otherwise, you run the risk of particles jamming up the door. If that happened, then the door would not move smoothly. Since the rollers carry it along the tracks, they need a frictionless environment. If they do not have one of those, then the doors will make a lot of noise while in motion.

Bent Tracks

Depending on the severity, bent tracks could put your door out of commission. If they are bent enough, the rollers can’t maneuver the door. Of course, most of the time, these problems don’t reach that level. Still, you’d be surprised by how many garages have bent tracks. If one side of the garage seems as if it is always a little bit higher than the other, the tracks might have a couple of bends. To ameliorate that, you’ll need to replace them.

Counterweight Balance

If you turn off the power, does the garage door stop where it is? If not, then there is something wrong with the balance. When that happens, the door will not stay open partway. Instead, it’ll start to move in one direction or the other. Ultimately, to fix that, you need to rebalance it.

Dented Doors

Above all, dents on the door tend to be cosmetic. Regardless, it does some damage to the home’s curb appeal. If that is something important to you, then you might want to take a look at them. Usually, they are easy enough to spot. Nevertheless, without the proper tools, it’s difficult to assess how bad they are. If they are rather small, then you could try to pop them out with a bit of suction. Even if that is possible, you could be left with some permanent marks. At that point, a new door could be your only recourse.

When You Should Schedule Maintenance for Garage Door Repair

Now, since you know what to expect, it’s time to create a schedule. For most garages, you should anticipate a few decades of use. As long as you keep them in good shape, they could last much longer. Throughout the years, inspect them every few months. Even if you follow this plan, unexpected issues may arise. By inspecting the door regularly, you’ll detect them before things worsen and avoid unexpected and costly garage door repair. That way, you’ll have a usable garage for years.

5-Year Maintenance Items

By the time you’ve reached 5 years, the garage doors have been lifted many times. In fact, it would not be surprised if the door opened on at least a few thousand instances. In such a time span, there is a lot of opportunity for wear and tear. Therefore, you should carefully follow through on each of the components. While you inspect them, take notes on how everything looks. If something does not look as it should, then you may want to speak with a technician. Although it may not be anything severe, it would be best to get a second opinion. That way, if it is worse than it appears, you’ll still get it taken care of.

10-Year Maintenance Items

By the time 10 years go by, you’ll be well acquainted with the garage. If it tends to have issues, they should be readily apparent at this point. So, if you anticipate anything peculiar, call a technician. Typically, they can help you clean off the rollers. Then, once those are spotless, they can lubricate the tracks. Suppose those were beginning to show some problems. By letting the technician inspect, he can show you what is happening. At that point, you can approach it with a fresh perspective. To us, that seems like it would be a lot more enjoyable than a broken door.

20-Year Maintenance Items

Finally, at around the 20-year mark, it might be time to upgrade rather than pay for garage door repair. By now, you’ve lifted it well over a thousand times. If you would like to continue using the same door, then the torsion springs might need a replacement. Since they only have so much life, they tend to wear out after long enough. Without replacements, the garage’s performance will suffer.