How to Increase the Life Span of a Garage Door
A garage door does more than let your vehicle in and out. It is an important part of your home’s design and can increase your home’s value. It also helps keep your home and vehicle safe and secure. Given the many purposes a garage door serves, it makes sense for you to want your garage door to stay in tip-top shape.
How Can I Make My Garage Door Last Longer?
Certain steps and methods can help make your garage door last longer. Here is how to increase the life span of your garage door:
1. Clean the Garage Door Panels
The traditional, classic residential garage door is the raised-panel style. The garage door is broken into sections or panels which follow a track and move into the roof space when it opens. While many of these components should be checked twice annually by a professional, the panels themselves can be looked after by the homeowner.
Keep the panels free of any dirt or grime buildup that might naturally occur. Rinse them with water between seasons. You can research how to clean your garage door panels depending on what your door’s made of, whether wood, steel, metal, aluminum or another material.
Do visual inspections as well to ensure that there are no cracks or damage from harsh conditions or a rogue soccer ball.
2. Lubricate the Springs and Moving Parts
You can lubricate your door’s springs and other moving parts. Lubricating moving parts helps your door work smoothly.
You’ll definitely want to lubricate the springs. The tension springs carry all the garage door’s weight when moving into open and closed positions. These springs need to be able to do their part and stay flexible. White lithium grease and silicone-based lubricants can help protect the springs from drying and stiffening up.
Here are some more ways you can make your springs last longer:
- Avoid bringing road salt into the garage: Road salt is very similar to table salt and is used to melt ice in cold regions of the United States. Road salt has many potential disadvantages for homeowners, including damaging metal and concrete, contaminating drinking water, and harming the groundwater. It can also cause damage to the unprotected parts of your garage door, including the springs.
- Keep your garage door balanced: Service your garage doors at least once a year to ensure the door is balanced. If the door starts to sag on one side, the imbalance will affect the springs, causing wear on at least one of them.
If your springs need to be replaced, your best option is to call a professional.
3. Clean the Tracks
You might think the tracks stay relatively clean as they are up on the ceiling of your garage. But think about the top of your kitchen cabinets or your curtain rails. Dust and grime have a tendency to collect in all sorts of places, including your garage door tracks. Keep the tracks clean of any obstacles or grime buildup.
A buildup of dirt or an in-the-way obstacle can cause the tracks to derail or make the door stutter or even get stuck. These can lead to an accident and potentially cause damage to the garage door and anything underneath it.
4. Read Your Owner’s Manual
Reading your owner’s manual helps you understand your specific door. If you want to avoid reading the manual, you can also chat with a professional about your door’s maintenance needs. Each style, type, design and brand of garage door is unique.
You can lengthen the usefulness of your garage door by understanding the parts that make up your specific garage door.
5. Prepare for Winter Weather
If you live in a state that experiences harsh weather conditions — such as snow, hail, rain or freezing temperatures — preparing your garage door for winter can lengthen its life span. Here are some tips on preparing your garage door for the colder months:
- Do a visual inspection: You will want your door to be in top condition before the cold sets in.
- Check the weatherstripping: A weatherstrip covers the gaps between the edges of your door and the outdoors. Checking the weatherstripping is essential for keeping the cold outside where it belongs.
- Lubricate: Garage doors and motors will take strain during this time. Ensure everything is lubricated so that parts stay flexible and move smoothly.
6. Service Your Door Regularly and Leave Repairs to the Professionals
There are some items that homeowners can do themselves when it comes to the maintenance of their garage doors. But larger items, such as garage door replacements, balancing the doors or fixing the motor, should be left to the professionals. You’ll want to service your garage door regularly and receive an inspection twice per year from a professional to keep your door in long-lasting shape.
How Long Do Garage Doors Last?
Garage doors can last about 30 years. You can get the most out of your garage door by receiving preventive maintenance services. The life span can increase depending on the following factors:
- Weather and climate: Each region has its own weather. For example, some areas have harsh wind and hail, while others might have extreme heat in the summer. Each material is vulnerable to different weather conditions. For instance, metal can rust if exposed to moisture for too long.
- Usage: Chat with a professional about how many cycles your garage door can do. If you know you tend to use the door often, choose a garage door style that matches your usage.
- Maintenance: Garage doors should be serviced regularly and maintained in between. Do a visual inspection every now and then and especially after harsh weather.
- Quality of door: The higher the quality, the more durable the garage door.
Garage doors often only need a replacement component, such as a spring or a panel, to return them to optimal performance. However, there may be a time when you will need a completely new garage door. Signs like physical damage and increasing energy costs can alert you it’s time for a new garage door.
The Best Maintenance Tip Is to Service Your Garage Door Regularly
Receiving preventive maintenance services helps keep your door in excellent condition. You should leave tasks like ensuring the door is balanced, inspecting safety features and servicing the motor to the professionals. You can let them know if you have any concerns or notice anything unusual during your visual inspections.
Quality Door Company is the leading dealer in residential garage doors in Western Michigan. We offer personalized maintenance services and carry high-quality models like Clopay®, Liftmaster and Cornell.
Send us a message online to request an estimate or schedule your service appointment for your garage door.
Signs It’s Time for a New Entry Door
The front door of your home is more than an inviting entrance for family and friends. It also provides security, weather protection and curb appeal for your home. Over time, entry doors can become weathered and malfunction. While you may be able to solve some issues with a repair, it might be time to upgrade your front door with a new one.
Replacing your front door can increase your home’s energy efficiency, security and value. This article discusses the common signs to replace your entry door to help you make the decision.
Your Entry Door Is Damaged
A good reason to replace an entry door is that it’s showing signs of damage. Doors are subject to a lot of wear and tear, from lots of traffic to the weather or getting bashed by grocery bags when you bring them inside.
Let’s consider a few types of damage that may indicate you need to replace your entry door:
- Peeling paint: While repainting a door may seem like a quick fix, if your door is wood, there could be an underlying issue that a new coat of paint doesn’t solve. Wood doors expand and contract as the temperatures change, leading to warping and peeling paint that could allow moisture inside the door. If left alone, the door could rot and attract wood-eating insects.
- Dents: A residential door could become dented with just a well-intentioned kick to keep it open when your hands are full. Dents impact a door’s structural integrity and impact the door’s look.
- Squeaking hinges: You may be able to solve squeaking door hinges by applying a little lubricant or tightening ill-fitting screws. Yet sometimes, a squeaky entry door is simply failing. A nonfunctional entry door might pose a security issue by making it easier for intruders to enter.
Your Door Poses a Security Issue
One of the most important signs to replace your entry door is that it’s causing a security issue. You could have trouble locking your front door if the door settles over time and becomes misaligned with the door jamb. You may need to replace your lock system, which could involve an entirely new door.
Another security issue is when your entry door doesn’t fit correctly inside the door jamb. This issue could enable easier access to your home. Upgrading to a better-fitting door made of sturdy fiberglass can provide more peace of mind.
Your Door Causes Drafts
Your entry door should provide protection from the elements as well as from possible intruders. An entry door with gaps around the frame could allow gusts of air into your home from the outside. Drafty doors can be especially unpleasant in Michigan winters, when it’s cold for much of the year. A drafty front door also causes higher energy bills, which isn’t good for your wallet.
If your home’s front door causes drafts, a replacement could be the perfect solution. Installing a door that fits properly and seals to keep out the weather can make your home more comfortable and lower your energy bill in the process.
Your Entry Door Has Moisture Damage
Another reason to replace an entry door is the presence of moisture damage, either in the door itself or in double-paned windows. A water leak in your door may cause damage to the door or even your home, like mildew growth.
Look for rust to determine whether your door has moisture damage. Rust on the hinges or other metal door fixtures indicates moisture has gotten into the door frame or the door seams. Rust is a sign that your door is deteriorating, which means it’s time for a replacement.
You might also notice moisture inside the window panes on your door. If you see water droplets inside the window, you may have moisture damage due to a broken window seal. Replacing your entry door may be the best way to solve the issue.
Your Door Doesn’t Fit Correctly
Another of the signs to replace your entry door is that it’s difficult to open and close. A sticking door is most often due to weather-related expansion and contracting. These changes cause your door not to fit in the door jamb like it once did. A poorly fitting door also causes lost energy and drafts, making your home less comfortable.
If your door is difficult to open and close or you notice gaps around the door frame, you probably need an upgrade. Remember that gaps in your door frame can let in light, noise, drafts, insects and more. If you’re dealing with any of these issues, replacing your door could be the best solution.
Your Entry Door Is Outdated
The front door of your home may also need to be replaced when it looks outdated. Your entry door makes a statement in the design of your entire house. A carefully considered coat of paint or an updated style goes a long way in improving your home’s curb appeal and making a positive impression. An entry door refresh can also increase your home’s attractiveness to future buyers.
Whether you want to totally change your home’s aesthetic or just bring it into this century, here are a few front door replacement ideas:
- ARBOR GROVE™ fiberglass doors: A fiberglass door can emulate the grain and aesthetic of wood while providing superior protection from the elements. Our selection of Clopay® ARBOR GROVE™ fiberglass doors features the natural characteristics of wood in various grains and a wide range of panel, hardware and window options.
- CRAFTSMAN fiberglass doors: Craftsman architecture would be perfectly complemented by CRAFTSMAN fiberglass doors. These doors feature exquisite fir grain and stylish glass inserts.
- RUSTIC fiberglass doors: The cherry graining of Clopay RUSTIC fiberglass doors complements Mediterranean or American Southwest-inspired homes for a look of true craftsmanship.
Should Homeowners Replace Their Front Door Themselves?
If you’ve decided to replace your entry door, working with a professional is generally the best way to go. Replacing your front door yourself could lead to improper installation that doesn’t solve issues long-term. Work with an entry door installation company to benefit from front door installation by experienced technicians.
Contact Quality Door Company for Long-Lasting and Elegant Entry Doors
When your door is damaged, poses a security issue or looks outdated, replacing the front door of your home might be the best solution. An upgraded entry door protects your home, adds to its aesthetic appeal and may help lower your energy bills.
Quality Door Company provides energy-efficient, aesthetically pleasing and low-maintenance residential entry doors for homeowners across Western Michigan. As a Clopay Master Authorized Dealer®, we offer several Clopay door collections of beautiful, high-quality entry doors. We also provide exceptional service and can help you find the right door for your home.
To learn more, contact us today or visit one of our showrooms in Holland or Muskegon.
