Extending the life of your garage door

Day's Door Company CEO Mike Holder does and the number is growing fast. "These days a garage door is used more than a front door. It gets a lot of use." Holder has a counter to track the number of times he and his family open and close their garage door.

A residential garage door has a minimum lifespan of 10,000 open-and-close cycles. "The length depends on how often the garage door is used and how maintained it is," says Holder.

Day's Door recommends an annual tune-up to get the most out of your garage door, but there are simple ways to care for your garage door on your own. 

Lubrication equipment annually

"Most people don't realize they're suppose to lubricate their garage door hardware," says Holder. Holder recommends lubricating garage door rollers annually with any standard garage door lubricant. 

If your garage door is making irregular, squeaking sounds, there may be too much friction. "It's hard on your gears when your equipment isn't properly lubricated," says Holder.

Service tension springs

"Your garage door springs are arguably the most important and most dangerous part of your garage door," says Holder. "Making sure your springs have the right tension is important, but I wouldn't recommend it as a do-it-yourself project, especially if you have an older garage door."

If your springs are squeaky, "it doesn't necessarily indicate a problem," Holder says. "Spray noisy springs with a garage door lubricant. If the noise persists, call a garage door professional."

Check your cables

Worn or frayed cables can easily break. "Visually inspect the cables that attach the spring system to the bottom brackets on both sides of the door," Holder says. If they are damaged, contact a professional to replace them before they snap. 

Check your safety sensors

If your garage door safety sensors aren't at the top of their game, Holder says it is usually an easy fix. "If people call about their sensors not working correctly, we recommend making sure they're clean of any dust or debris before we make a house call. Sometimes it's just a matter of cleaning off the lenses." 

Since 1993, all openers manufactured in the United States must include a second safety reversing featuring, such as photoelectric eyes. "These should not be installed higher than six inches above the garage floor," Holder says. "If the eyes are installed higher than six inches, a person or pet could get under the beam without being detected." 

Man the manual

"Keep the owner's manual for your door and opener hanging near the door for easy reference. Every model of door and opener has specific safety instructions unique to that model," Holder recommends.