Having a garage door that constantly breaks down is not only annoying and inconvenient, but it could also lead to a possibly expensive service call from a local garage door repair specialist. What happens if your family is getting ready to leave for a weekend road trip – the car is loaded – and suddenly, the garage door won’t close? That’s the start of a bad day, and may get worse depending on repair costs.

There is any number of ways you can avoid such an inconvenience, and some of the best strategies to extend the life of your garage door is to pay attention to how it works, and what sort of maintenance it needs from time to time.

Quick Tips About Arvada Garage Doors

• Your garage door may be insulated or uninsulated. Insulated doors, however, are more capable in colder climates, thanks to a higher R-value, which determines the effectiveness of how well insulation does in out cold.
• Your garage door can be made from fiberglass, galvanized steel, PVC, or wood.
• Garage doors which open toward the roof of the garage are most the common, especially in residential settings. They’re available in fixed or sectional models. Sectional garage doors have hinges that are bolted on the inside of the door and hold three to six horizontal panels together; this allows them to fold as the door is opened or closed. Fixed doors slide and tilt backward and upward into the garage ceiling without folding. This is made possible by a scissor-like hinge on each side, allowing it to move backward and up.
• The door’s weight is counterbalanced thanks to the installation of torsion or extension springs on either side of the door.
• If your garage door opens outward, it’s described as a carriage-house door style.
• Most garage doors installed in a commercial setting are roll-up style.

Good Practices That Can Extend the Life of Your Garage Door

The garage door is one of the universally used exits and entrances to your home, most likely being used three to five times a day. That kind of activity, normal in a busy Arvada area home, can result in a lot of wear and tear, leading to damage to the door or mechanical components – and possibly expensive repairs or replacement.

Here are some tips to help extend the life of your garage door.

• Know your garage door. Even if you call on an Arvada garage door repair professional, do some research and have a basic understanding of how the door operates. Your owner's manual or manufacturer's website is a great place to start.
• Check your garage door seasonally to make sure it’s working properly. Is it making loud or strange noises when it opens or closes? Is there a delay between the time you press the door opener and when the door opens? Does it look like the door is off balance?
• Regular, proper maintenance could mean the difference between spending a few dollars on lubricate for garage door rails and other moving parts or calling a garage door repair specialist when something goes wrong. Inspecting your door for signs of wear, like rust or worn springs or rails, is where maintenance begins.
• Keep the tracks clean. If the tracks are allowed to remain dirty, dust, grime, oil, and other detritus will accumulate and affect how smoothly the door moves along the tracks when opening or closing. If enough debris builds up, the door could stop working properly.
• If you have any doubts about how well your garage door is working, contact Arvada garage door repair specialists for a quick inspection. The typical garage door professional has several years of experience and can spot things the average homeowner would miss or overlook.
• All garage doors wear over time. Constant exposure to the elements plus accumulated dirt, leaves and other debris could eventually lead to cracks, rust, and other damage. Keeping your garage door clean and painting it every few years will do wonders for its lifespan.
• Make sure its safety features work as expected. Virtually all new garage door systems have reverse sensor mechanisms to ensure the door doesn’t close unexpectedly, and if the motion sensors on either side of the door are blocked or damaged, the door could close at the least opportune time.
• Inspect and maintain the weatherstripping once a year on your Arvada garage door. The purpose of the weatherstripping along the bottom and sides of the door is to keep the elements out, help maintain a comfortable temperature within the garage, and ensure that critters and wind or rain-related debris don't get into the garage. If leaves and dirt can make it past weatherstripping, they can certainly interact with rails, springs, bolts, and other mechanical components and cause them to fail over time.

Installing a new garage door tends to be expensive, and repairing faulty components isn’t far behind. You can potentially reduce or eliminate these costs by simply conducting routine maintenance on your own. Besides avoiding unnecessary costs, maintaining your garage door means not having to deal with a squeaky garage door first thing in the morning when you leave for work.

Work With Trusted Garage Door Repair Professionals

A Well Hung Garage Door has been an Arvada fixture for nearly 20 years. Our specialty is custom garage door installations, fixing misaligned and stuck doors, repairing and installing garage door openers and remotes, and many other services. Call us today at (303) 422-0232 to schedule a no-obligation inspection of your door and opener, or contact our garage door repair team online.