Your garage door should serve you well for decades The original panels of a modern garage door should last at least 30 years before the replacement enters your to-do list. Garage door openers, on the other hand, will last 10 to 15 years. If your garage door has only minor damage, but it's aging (let's say it's 10 to 20 years old), you might want to consider replacing it. An old door will likely need to be replaced sooner rather than later. So it may not be worth investing in repairs for a door that doesn't have much longer lifespan left.
Replacing an old door, even if the severity of the damage doesn't necessarily require it, can also have other benefits, such as a modernized appearance or a garage door that better matches the style of your home. You can go years without having to replace your garage door. Your garage door will last longer if you clean it and follow the manufacturer's instructions for caring for it. If you perform maintenance work at least once a year, the lifespan of a garage door can extend up to several decades and also increase the value of your home. However, if you're having problems with your garage door, consider replacing it.
The panels and frame that make up the garage door should last quite a while. A steel or aluminum door can last 20 years or more, and a wooden door can last nearly as long with proper maintenance. However, your garage door system is more than just your door. It's the garage door opener, the torque springs, the cables and much more. You can expect a good garage door opener to last you about 15 years.
While many problems can arise over the life of a garage door, from broken springs to dented horizontal panels and noisy rollers, there's a point where it's better to spend your money on one new. If closing the door would cost more than half of what it would cost to replace it, it's not worth the cost of repairs. The good news? With better, more durable materials, a new garage door could last up to 50 years. If your garage door problems are minor, consider repairing it instead of investing in replacing it.
But be sure to leave structural repairs to professionals, such as replacing a section of the door and replacing parts that are under tension, such as springs and cables. You may want to start from scratch with a completely new garage door, instead of investing in the rest of the system and realizing that the door needs to be replaced a few years later. The cost of replacing a garage door ranges from a few hundred dollars to several thousand, depending on several factors. Get recommendations and choose a few garage door companies, then let the professionals evaluate your garage and make suggestions on the best options for your home and budget. Tempered glass inserts, usually with overlapping grilles, can help a new garage door look less impressive and be more in tune with your architectural style house.
Here's how to find the right garage door for your style and budget, bring it home, and install it. Depending on the layout of your house, your garage door can represent a surprisingly large percentage of the face your house shows to the world. In fact, replacing a garage door is one of the highest ROI improvements you can make to your home. Damaged garage doors can also allow pests to enter from outside and can pose a security threat by offering more convenient access to potential intruders.
There are door designs that fit almost any architectural style, and the insulation incorporated inside can give you the R-value of an insulated wall of 2 × 6 posts, a boon for garages located under a living room. If you live in the Olympic Peninsula metropolitan area, the garage door professionals at Olympic Garage Door can inspect your garage door and determine if you need to repair or replace it. However, individual circumstances vary, perhaps the newly named teenage driver accidentally crashed into the garage door, or perhaps a windstorm threw debris on the door and damaged some panels.
