Garage door maintenance: schedule, lifespan and costs
Updated
Overview
The garage door is the largest moving part of the house, and the opener is the motor that lifts it. They age separately. The door is steel or wood panels on hinges, rollers, tracks and a spring that carries its weight, and it lasts decades. The opener is a motor, a drive and a circuit board, and it lives a shorter life. Between them they need a monthly test of the safety reverse, which is the thing that keeps the door from closing on a child or a car, and a lubrication and inspection once or twice a year.
Lifespan
A garage door and opener last 10 to 30 years. The door itself is at the long end, 15 to 30 years, and the opener at the short end, 10 to 15. What shortens the door's life is dry hardware: hinges and rollers that wear oval, and springs that rust and break. What shortens the opener's life is lifting a door that's heavier than it should be, which happens when the springs lose tension and the opener takes the weight the springs were meant to carry.
What extends both is lubrication on schedule, a balance test that catches tired springs before they strain the opener, and hardware kept tight. The signs a door is near the end: panels that are rusted through or cracked, a door that's bent from being hit, and sections that no longer seal. The signs an opener is near the end: a motor that strains or hums without lifting, a circuit board that forgets its settings, and remotes and sensors that are no longer made.
Maintenance schedule
The safety test and the service, in the order they come due.
| Task | How often |
|---|---|
| Test the garage door auto-reverse | once a month |
| Inspect and lubricate the garage door | every 6 to 12 months |
Replacement cost
Replacing the garage door and opener costs $300 to $4,000, depending on which part you're replacing. An opener is $300 to $700 installed, and a new one brings quieter operation, a battery backup and a phone app. A door is $1,000 to $4,000 installed, with the range running from a basic steel door to an insulated or wood-look door with windows.
The repair-or-replace rule: springs, cables, rollers, hinges and panels are repairs, and a door that's otherwise sound can take any of them. A door with several damaged panels on a model that's no longer made is a replacement, since matching panels can't be found. An opener needing a new motor or circuit board past the middle of its lifespan is replaced, because a new opener costs little more than the parts and labor.
Common problems
- The door doesn't reverse when it hits something: the force setting has crept up or the contact reverse has failed. Test the garage door auto-reverse and stop using the opener to close the door until it passes.
- The door won't close, and the opener's light blinks: the photo-eye sensors are out of line or dirty. Realign them until both show a steady light.
- Squeaking, grinding or jerky movement: dry hinges and rollers. Inspect and lubricate the garage door.
- The door is heavy to lift by hand, or won't stay put halfway: the springs have lost tension. That's a technician's job, and the opener will burn out if it keeps lifting the full weight.
- A loud bang from the garage and a door that won't lift: a torsion spring has broken. Don't try to open the door. Call a garage door company.
- The opener runs but the door doesn't move: a stripped drive gear, a broken belt or chain, or the door disconnected from the trolley by the release cord.
FAQ
How long does a garage door last?
The door itself lasts 15 to 30 years with lubrication and sound springs. The opener lasts 10 to 15 years.
How much does it cost to replace a garage door?
$1,000 to $4,000 installed for the door, and $300 to $700 for a new opener.
How do you know if garage door springs are bad?
Disconnect the opener and lift the door halfway. A balanced door stays put. One that drops or rises has springs that need adjusting, and a visible gap in a torsion spring means it's broken.
Why won't my garage door close all the way?
The safety sensors near the floor are usually the reason: out of line, dirty, or blocked. A blinking sensor light points to it.
Should I replace the opener when I replace the door?
If the opener is past 10 years, yes, since a new door can weigh differently and a new opener comes with current safety features and a battery backup.