As the old saying goes, “a stitch in time saves nine.” Just as repairing a small tear in a garment will prevent it from tearing further, regular maintenance will prevent more expensive problems from developing. The garage door is the largest and heaviest moving part of your house, and a critical failure can damage not only the door, but also the contents of your garage, your car or even a person.

When disconnected from the opener, does your garage door stop and remain in position if placed halfway open? Garage door openers are not intended to lift the entire weight of the garage door. Instead, the spring system is meant to be holding most of the door’s weight throughout its field of motion. As these springs are being subjected to constant shear forces, over time they will lose their strength and eventually snap. When your springs are no longer holding the weight of the door, the strain on your opener becomes intense, and can quickly result in mechanical or electrical failure within the opener itself.

Does your garage door have safety cables? If your garage door utilizes an extension spring system (2-4 long springs mounted perpendicular to the garage door), these inexpensive cables may prevent misfortune. All springs will eventually snap, releasing all of the tension that was on that spring at once. When this happens, extension springs can flail out at anything around them, and do serious damage to anything they strike. That means not only your property, but anyone near the garage door, will be in danger.

Do you park a car in your garage? Improperly mounted or maintained parts can fall and strike vehicles or other valuables when a serious failure occurs. The cost of poor maintenance can go well beyond the garage door itself.

You should also keep in mind that repairing small issues as they come up and ensuring the longevity of your garage door with thorough maintenance will mean that you don’t have to replace the whole door. If the need for repairs is neglected for too long, you might find yourself in a situation where a new door is less expensive than the repairs.

A stitch in time saves nine. With regular maintenance, you and your garage door are in for a good year together! If you think your garage door is due for maintenance or repairs, please don’t hesitate to contact us at 495 Garage Door for help.