Garage Door Longevity & Safety : Overhead Door Company of Lexington

GARAGE DOOR LONGEVITY & SAFETY

Garage Door Springs

Garage door torsion springs are rated by cycle life, with 10,000 cycles (a cycle being one opening and one closing action) the industry standard minimum. Upgrades are available to around 100,000 cycles. The average spring breaks about every seven to 12 years. If a garage door has two or more springs and one breaks, all springs should be replaced to maintain proper balance.

Garage Door Failure

The leading causes of garage door failure and/or replacement include lack of maintenance and being hit by vehicles. A proper maintenance schedule for a garage door includes lubrication of the rollers, bearings, pulleys, and springs once a year; washing painted steel surfaces several times a year; painting or refinishing wood surfaces as necessary; and making proper adjustments to the counter balance system as necessary to maintain door balance. A properly balanced garage door should be able to be stopped mid-travel without drifting down or up when operated manually.