There’s nothing quite as annoying as coming home and pressing your garage door opener and watching nothing happen. While garage doors are very sturdy, they are also subjected to a great deal of stress. Over the years, any number of issues can cause your garage door system to break. Here are some of the most common causes of garage door failure.
Spring Failure
All garage door springs will break eventually. The most common cause of torsion spring failure is wear and tear. Most garage door springs are rated for 10,000 cycles — with a single cycle being the door going up and back down. While that may sound like a lot, most people use two cycles at least per day. These cycles can add up much faster than you may think. If you use your garage door frequently, consider upgrading to extended life springs.
Rust
Watch your springs and coils for signs of rust, as this will drastically reduce the lifespan of your door springs. Rust increases friction on the coil and weakens the metal. Spray down your coil with WD-40 a few times a year to prevent rust. Be sure to check for rust and add WD-40 at the beginning of every season to extend the life of your springs.
Broken Cables
The lifting cables on your door are called wire rope. These wires will eventually get brittle, fray, unwind, and snap. Replace your wire rope as soon as you see wear or damage.
Worn Rollers
The standard rollers that come with most new garage doors do not last long and tend to drag. Upgrading to premium rollers will ensure the door opens and closes smoothly for many years. Eventually, rollers will get worn and the door will begin to drag.
Worn Door Opener
Sometimes the garage door opener itself wears out. New openers require little maintenance, but you can expect the opener to need to be replaced after several years.
Improper Maintenance or Installation
Sometimes poor installation is responsible for garage door failure, including tracks that were not aligned correctly.
Garage doors also need maintenance like everything else in your home. While all springs and cables will fail eventually from wear and tear, proper maintenance can extend the life of the components of your garage door system and give you an early warning when they are preparing to fail. Spray down the springs a few times a year with WD-40 and check the garage door balance once each season. Most springs fail in the spring, so be sure to check in the winter.
You can check your garage door balance by pulling the emergency release cord then opening the door by hand. Listen carefully for squeaking as you raise and lower the door. This indicates your hinges need to be lubricated. Next, lower the door completely, then raise it two feet and let go. If your springs are good, they will prevent gravity from pulling down the door. If the door sags or feels heavy when you let go, the springs are beginning to wear out.
G-Brothers Garage Doors is a Colorado based garage door repair and service company; they repair, install and replace garage doors – and everything in between. With thousands of satisfied customers, they can tailor our garage door installation and repair services to fit your individual situation and needs.