In this blog entry, our professional Charleston garage door repair service and Charleston garage door maintenance service team will detail the factors that affect a garage door’s general lifespan.
What are the main factors that affect garage door lifespans?
Garage Material
Steel garage doors are very durable. Single layer steel garage doors last between 15-20 years, and triple layer steel doors often last between 25-30 years.
Wooden garage doors need to be inspected for damage and rot regularly, and repainted every couple of years to prevent door degradation.
Aluminium garage doors provide more durability than steel garage doors, and are corrosion resistant and lightweight. While they are more prone to denting, they often last around 30 years.
Garage Usage
Garage doors that are used more than once or twice a day wear out faster than those used less often. Some people use garages only as storage areas, but many people use garages many times a day. Garage door openers also affect garage door longevity, and need to be maintained well and selected with care as well.
Garage Maintenance
Regular garage maintenance including lubrication of moving parts, tightening of hardware, and regular inspection can dramatically increase the lifespan of your garage door., neglecting the maintenance of your garage can cause it to prematurely wear out. Make sure to remove build-up and obstructions from under your garage door as well as from your garage door tracks to prevent garage door damage.
Proper Installation
Proper installation of your garage door by a licensed professional makes sure the garage door operates right and reduces the chances of it wearing out early. Poor garage installation often adds extra wear to garage components, and causes operating issues.
Environmental Factors
Environmental / weather-based conditions like extreme temperatures, snow, heavy rain, salt air, and humidity all affect your garage door, causing issues like mold, dents, holes, leaks, corrosion, and more. This is especially the case for wooden garage doors that can also experience problems associated with pests.