How Preventive Maintenance Saves Businesses Thousands

By United Overhead Door Corp — Mamaroneck, NY

The Real Cost of Neglected Commercial Doors

When a commercial garage door fails unexpectedly, the cost goes far beyond the repair bill. Loading operations stop. Trucks sit idle. Deliveries get delayed. Security gets compromised. For a busy warehouse or distribution center, a single unplanned door failure can cost thousands of dollars in lost productivity — before a technician even arrives.

The good news: the vast majority of commercial garage door failures are preventable. Springs fatigue gradually. Cables fray over time. Rollers wear down slowly. Tracks shift incrementally. None of these happen overnight — and a trained technician can spot all of them during a routine inspection, long before they cause a breakdown.

What a Preventive Maintenance Visit Includes

A United Door preventive maintenance visit covers every component of your commercial door system:

• Full lubrication of all moving parts — rollers, hinges, springs, cables and tracks
• Spring tension inspection and counterbalance adjustment
• Cable and drum condition assessment
• Track alignment check and adjustment
• Operator and safety sensor testing
• Panel and seal inspection
• Written service report documenting findings and recommendations

The Numbers: Maintained vs. Unmaintained Doors

Based on our 70+ years of service experience, here is what the data consistently shows:

How Often Should Commercial Doors Be Serviced?

For most commercial applications, we recommend twice per year — typically spring and fall. High-cycle doors in warehouses, distribution centers, or loading docks with 50+ cycles per day may benefit from quarterly service. The right frequency depends on your door type, usage volume, and operating environment.

What to Ask When Evaluating a PM Agreement

• Does the agreement include parts or just labor?
• How many visits per year are included?
• Is emergency response included or discounted?
• Do you receive a written report after each visit?
• What is the response time for emergency calls under the agreement?

United Door maintenance agreements include all of the above. Our customers receive priority scheduling, discounted emergency rates, and detailed written reports after every visit. Most importantly, they stop worrying about their doors.