Garage doors are vital for every American household as it serves as another door used to go in and out of the house. However, they generally only last for fourteen years or so, depending on how frequently people use them.
Getting your doors checked, serviced, or maintained is still an excellent practice to maximize their longevity. Providing a routine check for a garage door may prolong its lifespan, exceeding the expected fourteen-year mark. But what should homeowners look at to know their garage doors already need repairs?
1. Noise Problems
A well-oiled garage door doesn’t make any noise beyond its normal functions. Whether opening or closing, it shouldn’t make squeaking noises. If the garage door squeaks, it might be a problem with the hinges. Proper lubrication should solve the squeaking right away. If the sound involves grinding, there must be an ongoing alignment concern, which you can quickly solve by making the rollers even.
Meanwhile, if the sound is clinking, there could be rubbing springs in the mechanism, making it sound like metals hitting each other. Lastly, if there is a banging noise every time the garage door hits the ground, it might be a weather stripping issue. However, your garage door could also build up tension over years of use, requiring a maintenance check as soon as possible.
2. Opening and Closing Issues
Garage doors shouldn’t struggle when you open or close them each time. They shouldn’t also stay closed when users try to open them. If these symptoms arise, there is a good chance there could be a problem with the power supply behind the garage door.
If the garage door doesn’t budge at all, it might be a power disruption issue. The outlet or power source may have stopped working, or there could be an unknown power outage around the area.
However, it could also be a problem with the mechanism’s sensors. Modern garage doors use sensors to gauge when it needs to open or close. Sometimes an item blocking the sensor will inhibit the door from moving according to its settings. Lastly, it could also be an issue with the remote. The controller may be out of batteries or simply out of range.
3. Slow Opening or Closing
As garage doors age every year, they might experience technical issues like opening or closing slower than usual. Although the door’s operation speed is not as important as the first two issues, it is still worth discussing.
Older doors may have issues with worn-down springs or other components needing replacement. In extreme cases, you may need to replace some doors as a whole instead of only swapping out specific parts.
Another issue might lie in the mechanism’s lubrication. A well-lubricated system will open and close smoothly. Try to check any parts to ensure they are all working seamlessly. Lastly, check if the programming has been changed. Sometimes, it’s all about how the machine was programmed that causes it to malfunction.
Conclusion
Although garage doors can last over a decade, it is still vital to have them checked at least once a year. Through scheduled maintenance inspections, homeowners can identify issues early on to prevent them from worsening, saving the garage door in question. If not, the last option is to call for a professional repair service to fix a broken or damaged garage door or replace them for good.
Overhead Door Company of Puget Sound is a garage door company based in the greater Puget Sound area and Sumner, Washington. We dedicate ourselves to becoming the best choice for commercial and residential garage doors for clients looking for quality installation and repair services. Get a free estimate on our website, and let’s talk about garage doors today.
