When Do You Need a New Garage Door?
A garage door isn't meant to last forever, but there's also no set point at which you definitely need a new garage door. That's because garage door repair can extend the lifespan of your garage door many times over. Here are some things to note when you're deciding whether to repair or replace your garage door.
When the Labor Is Adding Up
You can expect many parts of your garage door to go over time. Tracks can get damaged if there is debris left in the rollers; when your garage door repeatedly crunches over dirty tracks, it will eventually bend them. Fasteners can also lose tension over time and need to be replaced. If you have a garage door opener that's on the weaker side, such as a belt drive garage door opener, it may lose power over time as well. Photo eyes on your garage door's opening system may also get cracked.
Hopefully, all of these don't happen at once, and you can find ways to replace them yourself or have a garage door repair technician out to maintain your garage door. But if you have let your maintenance slide and the repairs are adding up to almost as much as a new garage door, you might want to just let the old door go and replace it with something that won't have any big maintenance needs for a while.
When You're Ready for Something New
Another reason to get a new door is when you are ready to spruce things up. When your garage door breaks down, it's a good time to reevaluate whether or not you like the statement your garage door makes. Of course, there are ways to add style to a plain garage door, such as by adding a brighter paint color. But sometimes you need to start over to really get the look you want. There are a lot of new overhead doors on the market that combine different materials for a highly durable and beautiful design.
The good thing is that the same technician can generally repair or replace your garage door, depending on what you decide. You might want to have them diagnose the problems with your garage door and give you an estimate, so that you can decide for yourself whether you want to replace the door. If so, a garage door repair technician like those at Duncan Door Service Inc can show you some garage door models that would be a good improvement on your current garage door.