We take many things for granted in life, but probably none more so than the humble garage door. After all doors last for years and years – don’t they?
Most home garages in the UK have the ubiquitous manual up-and-over door, operating through a complex mechanism of channels, runners, cables and springs; an automated door incorporates additional motors and gearing. These are all moving parts that have a working life, and when any one of them fails the door at best won’t open or close; at worst, it could fall off!
The life of most parts of a garage door mechanism is not measured in years, but in cycles of operation – one cycle being opening the door then closing it again. So when you get your car out of the garage in the morning that’s one cycle – putting it back again at night is another.
Most garage door components have a design life of around ten thousand cycles, which sounds a lot but, in some cases, may not be. If you use your car only a few times each week, that would only add up to around five hundred cycles a year, in which case the life of your door mechanism should be twenty years. However, if you have a double garage with two cars going in and out a couple of times a day, every day of the week, plus the kids taking their bikes in and out, than that could make a hundred cycles a week, or five thousand a year, reducing the mechanism life to just a couple of years.
Like all complex mechanisms, regular maintenance will extend their lives considerably, and a few pounds spent on an annual inspection and servicing call can save hundreds of pounds in repair costs by preventing a minor issue from becoming a major problem. Most times all we will need to do is check the mechanism and lubricate the components, but that will give you peace of mind that your door will continue to function. Have your door serviced once a year, and it will last for many years.
If you haven’t had your door serviced for a few years, Garage Door Rescue can do this for you. To book your appointment, just ring 01793 393503.