A garage door is not exactly an inexpensive thing. You spend good bucks to install a garage door. It takes a lot of money to buy one! Since it’s expensive (and useful), you must take good care of it.
It’s heavy, functional, and also protects your home from harsh weather conditions and intruders. It keeps your vehicles safe, so you might as well maintain it properly.
Have you ever wondered how a garage door stays in place when you pull it up? It’s the door springs that do all the heavy-lifting.
Garage door springs are what stops the door from falling straight to the ground. These springs hold a lot of weight, so you can imagine what would happen if these springs break or wear off.
Here’s some news: you can increase the lifespan of garage door springs. We are pleased to offer some tips to all of you, so keep reading to find out!
What is the Average Lifespan of a Garage Door?
A garage door’s lifespan is about 10,000 cycles. If you calculate it, that’s about 14 years. This is when you use the garage door twice in a day. Torsion springs can last a little longer, especially when the material is high-quality. In case the material is good, it will last at least 20,000 cycles.
Good-quality garage door parts are important. This will help you ensure that the garage door works seamlessly for years.
What affects the life of a Garage Door?
Rust and moisture could break-down the garage door parts. These two factors are the biggest evil for garage doors. Zinc coated galvanised steels last longer, so you can choose one accordingly.
The lifespan is also determined by how often you use the garage door. Do you use it 3 times a day or 8 times a day?
Maintenance is also a crucial part. Do you lubricate the parts yearly? That’s important because without lubrication, the springs of the garage door may break.
Enhancing the Lifespan of Garage Door Springs – Quick Tips and Tricks
- Clean the garage door springs on a regular basis.
- Lubricate the garage spring twice a year depending on how much you use the garage door. Frequent usage requires more lubrication.
- Prevent the spring from getting rusted. You may use silicone lubricants or lithium for this specifically.
- Make sure you keep the garage door well-balanced to maintain the overall quality of the garage door springs. Everyone wants a long-lasting garage door!
While these are helpful, let’s expand these pointers to help you understand what you need to do to increase the lifespan of garage door springs.
Cleaning the Garage Door Springs
One of the most important things you need to learn how to do is cleaning the springs properly. This will help in increasing the lifespan of garage door springs.
Dirt and debris tends to accumulate on the surface of your springs. Grime will have a negative effect on the spring’s efficiency too.
It will be harder to open the door when there is debris and other accumulation in these springs which may result in early failure too.
It is important for you to use a rigid wire brush to clean all the debris and soil from your garage door springs. In case the spring is damaged completely, you must go for replacement. This way one can secure the property and the garage.
Prevent Garage Door Spring from Rusting
Once you make cleaning the springs a habit, it’s time to prevent garage door springs from rusting. Metal alloys and metals are used for manufacturing these springs which makes them prone to getting rusted. This way the lifespan of the springs decreases and it increases your chances of getting a headache.
Rusting metal leads to breakage or damage. If the spring metal has rusted, it will lack the strength to hold all the workload. Rusted torsion springs don’t have the power to bear the weight. Let’s be clear: springs hold all the weight of the garage door. Garage doors are heavy, so you can’t be holding all the weight and also taking your car out.
A rusted spring will put immense pressure on the opener and it will lead to severe tension on the rollers.
Rusted springs tend to break sooner or later, which is why garage doors malfunction. It can be a serious emergency if the springs are broken and the garage doors are not working properly. In this case, you would need a replacement.
As per experts, lubricating the springs is the best way to deal with corrosion. If you are worried that you can’t do this on your own, it is best to speak to a professional and let them handle it.
Please ensure that the lubricant is not leaking from the springs because it leads to grime accumulation.
Ensuring that the Garage Door is Properly Balanced
Imbalances can cause vibrations whenever the garage door closes or opens. You have to ensure that the garage door is properly balanced.
A door which is not in control tends to snap or shut on its own. This will also increase the risk of you getting injured. The springs in your garage door have an important role to play in keeping it well-balanced. If anything is wrong with the springs such as corrosion, breakage, or any other reason, you must replace it immediately.
It is best to call a professional and let them check the imbalance of the garage door.
Use High-Quality Springs in Your Garage Door
You can’t do much about the existing garage springs, but the next ones you install should be of high quality.
Use high-quality springs in your garage door and ensure that it is properly installed. This will increase the lifespan of the garage door. A poor-quality spring will break or corrode sooner and you will have to spend more money later.
Concluding Thoughts
Use the above-mentioned tips and tricks to increase the lifespan of garage door springs. Just in case it has already been damaged, you must replace the springs by calling a professional. It is dangerous to have broken or corroded springs in the garage door, so it is best to get it checked and replaced.