One of the most common questions our Advance Door clients have is how long their Cleveland garage doors are going to last. The reality is, even the best-maintained garage doors are inevitably going to reach the end of their service life. Exactly how long that is depends on a myriad of factors, such as door material and quality, local climate, and frequency of use.

According to a 2007 report, “Study on the Life Expectancies of Home Components,” conducted by the National Association of Home Builders, garage doors can last anywhere from 10 to 30 years. (Automatic garage door openers can typically last about 10 to 15 years.) In comparison, other kinds of exterior entry doors – at least those made of wood, steel, and fiberglass – can last for as long as the house is standing. Vinyl exterior doors typically last about 20 to 40 years.

Our Cleveland garage doors experts recognize that while the average residential garage door lifespan is relatively short compared to other types of doors in your home, it’s not all that surprising considering their:

• Heavy weight.
• Numerous moving/mechanical parts.
• Repeated daily use.

That said, there are a number of ways you can eek out more mileage out of your residential garage doors. The most effective strategy is to prioritize regular maintenance and timely repairs so that small issues don’t become larger ones.

Factors That Can Shorten or Extend the Life of a Garage Door

Most manufacturers will stipulate the average lifespan of their garage doors, but this figure also assumes an average amount of routine use. Several factors can extend – or shrink – that lifespan.

Even if you take great care of your Cleveland garage doors, they are eventually going to need maintenance, repairs, and (one day) replacement. Just keeping up with the manufacturer-recommended maintenance schedule and promptly addressing any repair red flags can go a long way toward extending the life of your Ohio garage doors.

Probably the single most important mechanical component that determines whether your garage door operates properly is the spring mechanism. A standard garage door spring is designed to last somewhere around 10,000 cycles. (A single cycle is the completion of a single open-close revolution.) If your Cleveland garage doors rely on tension springs, you might only get 5,000 cycles. The more you open-and-close your garage doors each day, the more rapidly those springs are going to wear down.

Limiting the amount of times you open and close your garage door each day can extend its lifespan.

Another way to increase the odds that your Cleveland garage doors won’t need replaced for a while is to invest in high-quality door materials. Purchasing your doors from reputable companies that carry well-regarded brands – and a warranty – will almost always translate to a longer lifespan.

Whatever door material you select should also have the capacity to hold up to local climate fluctuations in Northeast Ohio. Our longtime garage door technicians can give you a good idea of which materials are the most likely to last season after season.

Regular Garage Door Maintenance and Repair

To keep up on the regular maintenance of your garage doors, take the time about once a year to:

• Watch and listen to how it runs. Any jerky movements or scraping noises are a sign you need to initiate a repair. Check the cables, springs, and tracks and make sure they are equally aligned.
• Oil the moving parts. You actually should lubricate the moving parts of your garage door once every six months. The less friction and stress on those moving parts, the less wear you’ll see, and the longer your doors will last.
• Tighten the hardware. Every time your garage door goes up and down, the door vibrates. That movement could cause hardware and track may become loosened. If you notice any loose brackets or bolts, tighten then as needed.
• Check the balance. A garage door that isn’t properly balanced is going to have to work twice as hard to do the job. If the door won’t remain stationary when the door is halfway open, the springs might be worn or imbalanced. If your Cleveland garage doors do need spring adjustment or replacement, it’s best left to a professional garage door tech.
• Replace the weatherstripping. This is that rubber stripe along the bottom of the garage door, which serves as a guard against dirt, dust, water, extreme heat/cold, etc. (It can also run along the top and each side.) If you notice the rubber is brittle or cracked, replacing it quickly can reduce wear and potential corrosion.
• Clean and repaint. A door that is clean and regularly repainted will be better protected against the potential ravages of rust and corrosion. (If you have a wood door, be sure to check for peeling paint or warping.)
• Test the auto-reverse. If you have an automatic garage door, it will have an automatic reverse safety function to prevent it from closing on objects, pets, or people. A malfunction is a serious safety concern. If there’s an indication it’s not working properly, it needs to be fixed right away.
• Clean out the track. Make sure the track is free of dirt, debris, or rust.
• Rollers replacement. Inspecting garage door rollers is another one of those every-six-months deals, as you’ll probably need to replace them somewhere around the 5-7-year-mark.

Keep in mind that sometimes garage door supply chain issues can cause delays in getting certain parts or doors, so it’s typically better to act sooner than later if you suspect you’re going to need a repair or replacement.

If you have questions about repair or replacement of your Cleveland garage doors, we can help.

Advance Door Co. provides commercial automatic door products, services, repairs, and replacements to customers throughout Northeast Ohio, including Cleveland, Parma, and surrounding communities.

Additional Resources:

7 Reasons to Replace Your Garage Door Opener, June 26, 2022, By Jeff Beneke, TheSpruce.com

More Blog Entries:

When Cleveland Automatic Doors Get Glitchy, July 31, 2023, Cleveland Garage Door Blog