It is estimated that around 70% of family homes have a garage attached to them. These garages certainly range in things like size and scope, but most people do have one on their home and are therefore dealing with garage doors and everything that goes along with them. By and large, these systems are typically hassle-free and work very well. However, there are times where you’re going to need to have your garage door and system repaired, and even sometimes where you will need it replaced. There are a lot of factors to consider here, and we’ll try to touch on a lot of them.

Garage door repair is pretty simple, especially if you find a good location offering fair rates and quick service. So no matter the state of your garage door, you should always be able to find a good repair option. Though when it comes to outright replacement, you might not know when it’s time. Therefore, we want to go over some information that’s suggested to garage door owners as it relates to a time-frame for outright replacement.

The Recommended Replacement Schedule

According to the professionals, one should have their garage door entirely replaced every 15 to 30 years. This means the door itself, the tracks, and the motorized mechanism that controls everything. Of course, this is a very vague and long estimate. Why 15 to 30 years? The thing the pros are taking into account here is regular maintenance, either DIY at-home maintenance or professional garage door repair. If, for instance, you’re maintaining your garage door properly, winterizing it, and taking care of it, then you’re definitely looking toward that 30-year range, and perhaps even longer.

Conversely, if you’ve been a little lax in your garage door maintenance and haven’t been taking proper care of it, then you’re likely only going to get around 15 good years out of it. This is why there’s such a large gap here. It really all comes down to taking proper care of the garage mechanisms vs. letting things run on their own without any maintenance intervention.

Factors that Matter

You never really know when it’s time to replace, until it’s time to replace. As long as things are working well, then simple repair is all you’re going to need, not a full replacement. So here are a few factors that really matter when it comes to the length of time you get to enjoy your garage door before you need replacement.

How Well the Door and System are Maintained

How well have you been maintaining your garage door? For people who have been tightening their bolts and lubing up their moving parts for the winter, and for people who call in the pros to take care of little problems, then those larger problems are less likely to pop up. The same principles apply to things like auto and AC repair. Take care of those smaller issues to extend the life of your machines. So taking better care of the garage door will greatly extend its life for many years.

The Brand and Quality

Another issue to consider is the brand and quality of your garage door system. Like most things in life, you’re going to get what you pay for. If you only spent a little bit of money on a bottom-shelf or even a second-hand garage door system, then the likelihood that you will have to outright replace it in a few years is pretty high. On the flip side of that coin, people who have invested more money in a better garage door system typically get to enjoy a much longer life, especially when things are well maintained.

The Level of Maintenance

The overall level of maintenance matters too. Imagine taking your car to a mechanic who didn’t really do quality work. Not only would you be going back to the mechanic more often due to shoddy repairs, but you’ll also be decreasing the life of your automobile. With garage doors, it definitely does matter who you have completing your repairs for you. Only the best will do.

Garage doors are pretty sturdy and reliable, but you still want to ensure that you’re doing everything you can to keep them running well, which includes hiring the best pros to work on them when you need them.