How Long Do Garage Door Rollers Last?

“How Long Do Garage Door Rollers Last?”

The answer depends on what type of garage door rollers you have in your garage. When you provide proper maintenance for your rollers, they can last anywhere from one to two decades. Other factors play into the longevity of rollers too, such as the climate and how often the garage door is used.

Garage Door Rollers: Plastic vs. Nylon vs. Steel

Garage door rollers are usually made from plastic, nylon or steel.

• Steel is the most durable material for rollers, but it’s the most expensive as well as the noisiest of the three.
• Nylon is much quieter and less expensive, but it’s also less durable.
• Plastic is the least costly and least sturdy of the three. Plastic rollers do not have ball bearings, which means they can be noisy, and they generally require replacement after just a few years.

Do Garage Door Rollers Wear Out?

Eventually, your garage door rollers will stop working effectively. Factors that cause them to wear out include:

• Weather: Metal parts rust when they’re exposed to lots of rain. Stainless steel holds up much better, resisting rust and working exceptionally well for car washes as a result.
• Usage: If you use your garage door multiple times every day, you may cut down on the rollers’ long-term life. These rollers work for so many cycles, and once you hit that number, you’ll need to replace them whether it’s been two years or 12.
• Track maintenance: With any machinery, the better maintained it is, the more efficiently it will function. Getting regular inspections of your rollers each year will ensure that they are working properly, catching small problems before they grow into big ones.
• Track cleaning: Removing small debris from the tracks will improve the ability of the rollers to move while reducing noise. You can add a lubricant to the tracks if the sound is especially loud. Try specialty garage door formulas that you can get from your local garage door repair shop.

How Often Should You Replace Garage Door Rollers?

You should replace your rollers when they stop working well. Depending on the material, that may mean 10 to 20 years, though plastic rollers will need to be replaced well before that.

To determine whether you need new rollers, disconnect the door from your automatic opener. Pull the cord manually to make the garage door open and close so that you can see how much drag there is and whether it seems like too much. If it is, you may need to replace the rollers.

If you decide you need new rollers, you should contact a professional and have them complete the installation. Someone who doesn’t understand garage door rollers may install them improperly and put your family at risk.

Rollers that don’t meet the correct installation standards may break or wear out quickly, and the door may become unbalanced, closing suddenly and potentially hurting someone.

Do You Need Assistance Replacing Your Garage Door Rollers?

Contact Oregon City Garage Door to discuss our parts and repair services. You can request service online or give us a call at 503-632-3070.