Your garage door is crucial in facilitating your home’s overall functionality, security, and curb appeal. Keeping it in good condition should be among your top home maintenance priorities. You should routinely service it, fix it when it runs into problems, and replace it when it has lived out its working lifespan. Here’s how to know it’s time to replace your garage door.
1. Sluggish Speed
Smooth garage door operation depends on the coordinated action of its tracks, rollers, springs, and cables. It should take 12 to 15 seconds to open or close fully. If your garage door takes longer, there could be a problem.
One of the primary causes of this problem is a lack of lubrication. Insufficient lubrication increases friction on rollers and hinges, which causes the cable system and springs to work harder to lift or lower the garage door. This strain is what reduces the opening and closing speed. Our maintenance service should restore the door to normal operational speed.
If the door is still slow, other factors that might be responsible include worn pulleys, weakened spring tension, faulty brakes, damaged hinges, malfunctioning motor, or obstructions in the tracks. Some of these issues are more challenging and costly to deal with, so it may be better just to replace the garage door. Our garage door experts will be able to advise you on the best solution.
2. Increased Noises
The normal sound level of a residential garage door opening or closing typically ranges from 60 to 75 decibels (dB). This is comparable to moderate background noise or the sound of a vacuum cleaner.
Pay attention to the specific sounds it produces. A slapping sound often indicates a loose chain, which can lead to uneven door movement and premature wear on the opener. Grinding or scraping noises may suggest misaligned tracks or worn-out rollers, while vibrating and rumbling sounds may mean the nuts or bolts are loose. Clunking noises occur when the door opener struggles to do its job, either because of old age or bad batteries. Popping sounds indicate that the torsion spring has snapped.
Whenever you hear any unusual sounds from your garage door, stop using it immediately and call us to inspect and recommend solutions. Issues such as the torsion spring snapping, misaligned tracks, or loose nuts and bolts pose serious safety risks. A snapped torsion, for example, can cause the door to drop suddenly, while loose nuts and bolts, if left unchecked, may result in parts shifting or breaking under strain.
3. Visible Damage
Visible damage is one of the most obvious signs that you need a new garage door. While you can repair cosmetic flaws like minor dings and scuffs, serious imperfections such as cracks, large dents, and sagging may warrant a complete replacement.
A damaged garage door compromises your home’s security and functionality. For instance, cracks allow drafts to seep in, leading to temperature fluctuations that make your home less energy-efficient. Moreover, gaps caused by cracks or warping can let moisture, pests, and debris enter, potentially damaging stored items or weakening the door’s structure over time.
Large dents and sagging panels affect your garage door’s appearance and smooth operation. This extra strain on the motor and other mechanical components can accelerate wear and eventually lead to system failure. Rust can affect the insulation, tracks, springs, and hinges. It can also diminish the curb appeal of your door.
When getting a new door, consider one that is resistant to weather and physical impact. Accidental bumps and harsh elements like strong winds and hailstorms are the most common causes of garage door damage.
4. The Garage Door Won’t Open or Close
There are many reasons why a garage door may fail to open or close, but issues that may warrant a replacement include broken torsion or extension springs, snapped cables, misalignment, a faulty motor, and a loose chain. Problems that we can fix with simple troubleshooting include dirty or displaced photo eyes, a malfunctioning remote, and electricity disruptions.
The photo eye is a safety mechanism, ensuring the garage door doesn’t close when an object or person is in its path. It operates by transmitting and detecting an infrared beam between two sensors on opposite sides of the door. If dirt, obstructions, or misalignment disrupt this beam, the door will not close.
The garage door remote and transmitter often run out of battery unexpectedly. If it has been a while since you last changed the batteries, this could be the reason the door is unresponsive. Try replacing the batteries and test the door again.
If the remote functions but the garage door doesn’t respond, there may be a power disruption. Inspect the circuit breaker, fuse, or GFCI outlet to confirm that electricity is reaching the door opener. A tripped circuit breaker or blown fuse can cut off electricity to the system, preventing the door from opening.
If these steps don’t fix the problem, call our professionals for a thorough inspection and diagnosis. We may advise replacing the garage door if it has extensive damage or persistent operational issues.
5. Old Age
The average lifespan of a garage door is 10 to 20 years. This lifespan depends on usage and environmental conditions. Typically, torsion systems have a cycle life of 10,000 to 20,000 cycles. Therefore, if you open and close your garage door three to five times or more in a day, expect it to last at least 10 years. Of course, this timeline also depends on weather conditions, maintenance habits, and the quality of materials used.
Regardless, an old garage door is too worn out to be as efficient and effective as a new one. They tend to break down more frequently and require increasingly costly repairs. Old garage doors also look weathered and lack modern security features, making them more vulnerable to break-ins.
6. Increased Costs
Your garage door could be the culprit if your energy costs keep rising. Poor insulation, worn weather-stripping, or operational inefficiencies can lead to significant heating or cooling loss. Your heating or cooling system will have to work harder to maintain comfortable indoor temperatures and, in the process, consume excessive energy.
7. Vibrations
If your garage door vibrates when opening or closing, it’s likely that its door opener or rollers are worn out. These parts must be replaced to restore smooth operation. However, addressing only individual components may be a temporary fix. Investing in a new garage door guarantees long-term reliability and efficiency.
8. Imbalance
An unbalanced garage door is caused by worn rollers, misaligned tracks, sagging or broken cables, or weak springs. The imbalance puts undue stress on the opener motor, potentially leading to premature failure and costly repairs for your garage door system. It could also be a safety hazard. It’s advisable to consider replacement over repairs for severely imbalanced doors, especially if multiple critical components are worn or damaged.
Contact Us for More Information
If you want a professional opinion on your garage door or a new installation, call us today—we would love to help. Our highly skilled and experienced experts will inspect your door and determine whether repair or replacement is necessary. If replacement is the best option, we’ll help you find the ideal garage door that suits your home’s style, functionality, and budget.
Call Halls Garage Doors today for garage door installation in Christiansburg, VA.
