Orem sits in Utah Valley beneath Mount Timpanogos, between Provo and Lindon, and is home to Utah Valley University. Much of the city is single-family homes on generous lots, many built in the second half of the twentieth century, alongside newer subdivisions and townhomes. In a lot of these households the garage is the real front door: kids, cars, bikes and groceries all come and go through it.
That heavy daily use, combined with snowy winters and dry summers, largely determines what breaks. Here is what local homeowners should know.
Heavy use and spring life
Springs are rated by cycles, and a family that cycles the door constantly can use up a standard spring in just a few years. When one breaks, the door turns extremely heavy and the opener usually cannot lift it at all.
If your family treats the garage as its main entrance, ask for high-cycle springs at replacement time. They cost more initially but last considerably longer, which means fewer surprise breakdowns on a school morning. Doors with two springs should have both replaced together to keep the lift even.
Winter in Utah Valley
Orem's winters bring regular snow and cold nights, and most winter trouble starts at the bottom of the door. Slush carried in on tires melts and refreezes under the bottom seal, and road salt corrodes the lower section and the cable brackets. Keep the threshold clear, sweep slush out, and replace a seal that has gone stiff or split.
Cold slows openers down as well. If the door moves sluggishly or reverses on cold mornings, have the balance and lubrication checked before anyone raises the force setting, which can mask a bigger problem and make the door less safe.
Gusty winds and wide doors
Strong winds can sweep down out of the canyons along the Wasatch Front, and a wide double door catches a lot of it. Over time, gusts loosen track brackets and hinge screws and can flex the top section. Check the hardware yearly and make sure wide doors carry reinforcing struts.
When an older door should be replaced
Many homes still have doors installed decades ago, often uninsulated steel or wood with an opener that predates modern safety rules. It may be time for a new door if:
- Sections are cracked, rusted through or badly dented.
- An attached garage still has a bare, uninsulated door.
- The opener has no safety sensors or uses an old fixed-code remote.
- You are facing a second or third significant repair in a short span.
Safety in a family garage
With kids around, safety features deserve attention. Each month, place a flat piece of 2x4 lumber in the door's path and press the close button; the door must stop and back up the moment it meets the wood. Confirm the photo-eye sensors are mounted no higher than about six inches above the floor, mount the wall button out of small children's reach, and teach kids never to dash under a closing door.
When shopping for a new door, look for pinch-resistant section joints, which are a worthwhile feature when little fingers are around.
Last updated by the American Garage Door Team.