Garage doors are designed to perform reliably for many years. However, periodic repair and maintenance are often needed to fix any issues which may have developed in the moving parts of the garage door. This article discusses some of the wear items which are more likely to break and require repairs.
The Rollers
Rollers help to reduce the drag when a garage door opener is hoisting or lowering the garage door. The drag increases as these rollers wear and become less effective. Eventually, the rollers may break. The replacement rollers which are installed should be of high quality so that your garage door will last. Poor quality rollers shorten garage door life because the weight of that door will not be supported adequately, so the door will be gradually getting damaged.
The Springs
Springs eventually break. How soon this happens depends on the use cycle rating of those springs as well as how well they are maintained. Many garage doors come with two springs. It is never a good idea to replace only one spring in case only one side breaks. Change both springs so that they are balanced in performance and lifespan. This will save you the labour charge of disassembling the garage door mechanism to replace the second spring shortly after the first one failed.
Hinges and Related Hardware
The hinges on garage doors rarely break. However, they will certainly break if they get noisy and you do nothing about it for a long time. Noisy hinges are crying out for lubrication. Provide it so that you don't affect the life of the hinges on your garage door. The sheaves and bearings in garage doors are more susceptible to breaking if sufficient lubrication isn't provided at all times.
Cables
Cables can gradually become brittle and start fraying. This can cause the cable to start unwinding itself until it snaps. Cables should be inspected regularly and replaced at the earliest sign of fraying. Otherwise, the cables can snap with deadly consequences.
Garage Door Openers
Garage door openers do a lot of work on a daily basis. Most garage door openers now require minimal maintenance. However, their components weaken over time and the opener will no longer be as effective as it once was.
To avoid further problems, sign a service contact a garage door repair professional so that proactive action will be taken to perform the needed repairs before the door fails.
