One of the most common questions we hear from homeowners is how long do garage doors last?
Your garage door is something you often don’t think about until something goes wrong with it. You use that door each and every day as you drive your car in and out, and so it’s going to take on wear and tear. Even if you’re taking good care of it and performing maintenance when needed, at some point it will need to be replaced.
In this article, we’re exploring a common question we hear from homeowners – how long do garage doors last?
How Long Do A Garage Doors Last?
This isn’t a one size fits all answer, as not all garage doors as the same. Plus, the way it’s used differs from person to person. However, you can get an estimate for how long that garage door will last.
When you first have the garage door installed, you may see that the warranty on it is for three years. However, it can last a lot longer than that with the right care. If you’re taking good care of the garage door, then it can last for up to 30 years overall.
There are plenty of things that can affect the lifespan of your garage door. These include:
- The materials used in the manufacture of the door
- Quality of moving parts, such as springs and rollers
- How often you use the garage door
- Whether you perform regular maintenance on the door, such as lubricating moving parts
You’ll also need to consider the lifespan of the parts that make up your door. Things like your torsion springs will have a lifespan that’s measured in cycles, which is the one-time opening and closing of a door. Most torsion springs will last for around 10,000 cycles, but what does that mean to you?
It all depends on how often the garage door is used. For example, if you just use the garage door to get the car out in the morning and back in at night, they can easily last for 13 or 14 years. The more often you use it though, the shorter the lifespan will be. For example, if you’re using it four times daily you’ll get around 7 years out of the spring, and if you use the door eight times daily, that goes down to 3 years.
Your garage door lifespan depends on the lifespan of the parts that make it up. If you’re taking good care of them all, then you can get much longer before you need to replace the door.
Should You Replace Your Garage Door?
Of course, even if you’re taking perfect care of your garage door, it can’t last forever. At some point, it will need to be replaced. When will you need to replace it?
The garage door is 30 years or older: If you’re experiencing issues with the garage door and it’s already reached 30 years of age, then it will be better to replace the garage door, rather than repair it. Repairs can be made, but as the garage door is older it will experience more issues as time goes on.
Some feel that they’ll be saving money when they make repairs to an older door, but the fact is you’ll be spending more on the door, in the long run, to keep it operational. Replacing it means you’ll need to outlay more cash initially, but it is worth the investment.
You’re looking to increase curb appeal: Are you looking to sell your home? Then replacing the garage door may actually be a smart move. This is because having a new door that fits in with the architectural style of the home will increase curb appeal.
Of course, you’ll need to consider whether the door needs replacing altogether, or whether you can make some other adjustments. For example, you could repaint a garage door instead, or add decorative hardware to update its look.
A wooden garage door has significant damage: All garage doors will take some dings over time, but they can be easily repaired. Your wooden door is the same, but if it’s taken on a lot of damage, it may be better to replace it, rather than try to repair it.
For example, if there are holes in the door, or there are cracks or warping to the wood, then you could need to replace it. You can talk to a garage door repair service, to ask whether it could be repaired or if it needs to go.
Door is shaking or noisy during operation: There could be many reasons why your garage door is being more noisy than usual when you use it. It could be as simple as checking on the belt on your garage door opener, and making adjustments as needed.
If your door is reaching the end of its lifespan and the usual troubleshooting isn’t helping stop the noise, then you’ll want to look into having the garage door replaced.
The door needs more maintenance than usual: All good homeowners will keep an eye on their garage door, and carry out maintenance as needed. Are you finding that you have to do maintenance more often than usual?
In these cases, it’s a good idea to call out an expert and have them take a look at the door. They’ll be able to tell you if the door has an issue that can be corrected, or whether it will need to be replaced.
You’re changing the way you use your garage: The way you use your garage will dictate what kind of garage door you have. If you simply use it for storing your car, then you won’t need much insulation. However, if you want to start using the garage for other activities, then you’ll need a garage door that can be insulated. If your current garage door won’t allow for that, then you’ll need to change the door you have.
Conclusion
So, how long do garage doors last? It depends on how well you take care of it throughout the years. Regular maintenance will help protect your garage door from problems that could shorten the life of your garage door.
It’s important to take good care of your garage door, but it’s also important to know when you need to replace it. Now you know when you should change your door out, and get a new garage door installed.