Top 5 Reasons Commercial Doors Fail (And How to Prevent Them)

It’s not always dramatic. Commercial doors don’t usually explode into failure - they creep toward it. One misaligned roller, one dry hinge, one overloaded operator. Then, one day, the door sticks halfway open and production grinds to a halt.

At Eton Loading Dock Services, we see the same root causes come up again and again across Ontario warehouses, garages, and distribution centres. The good news? They’re almost all preventable.

Here are the five most common reasons commercial and industrial overhead doors fail — and what you can do now to avoid costly downtime later.

1. Spring Fatigue or Failure

The most common failure we respond to? A broken torsion spring. These high-tension components do the heavy lifting behind the scenes. Most sectional doors rely on springs to counterbalance hundreds of pounds of steel and insulation.

What causes spring failure?

• Reaching the end of its cycle life (usually ~10,000–25,000 cycles)

• Improper tensioning

• Lack of lubrication

• Rust from unsealed or humid environments
  

How to prevent it:

• Schedule tension checks every 6–12 months

• Use long-life, coated springs for high-use doors

• Lubricate springs as part of a regular PM program

At ELDS, we keep common replacements parts in-stock on our trucks — so when failure happens, we’re ready.

2. Worn or Misaligned Rollers

When rollers wear out or fall out of alignment, they create resistance in the door track. That forces the operator to work harder — and shortens its lifespan dramatically.

Signs you’ve got roller issues:

• A jerky, uneven door motion

• Loud scraping or thudding sounds

• Visible roller wear or side-to-side movement
  

If left unchecked, rollers can actually cause the door to derail from the track.

Prevention tips:

• Replace plastic rollers with steel or nylon for better durability

• Check for straight tracks and tight fasteners

• Add annual roller inspections to your maintenance schedule

3. Operator Overload or Motor Failure

If your operator is overmatched for the weight or usage pattern of your door, you’ll notice it struggling to open. That wear builds up over time until one day — it stops altogether.

Common causes:

• Undersized operator for a large door

• Poorly balanced doors adding strain

• Lack of lubrication increasing friction

Modern commercial doors often operate multiple times per hour. That’s a lot of wear without attention.

Prevent it by:

• Balancing your door to ensure proper weight distribution

• Choosing an operator rated for your cycle count and door size

• Running preventative diagnostics on torque and load

We’ve helped clients avoid a full operator replacement just by adjusting balance and re-tensioning springs. Little fixes prevent big breakdowns.

4. Neglected Lubrication & General Maintenance

Door parts move — and movement causes wear. When you skip routine care like lubrication and bolt checks, you speed up the path to failure.

What we see:

• Dry hinges grinding metal on metal

• Tracks collecting dust, salt, or debris

• Loose bolts from vibration and daily cycles
  

In cold Ontario winters, lack of lubrication causes rollers to seize — and that means emergency calls at 5 AM.

The fix:

• Use a high-quality lithium- or silicone-based lubricant (never grease)

• Wipe down and clean track guides seasonally

• Make lubrication part of your PM checklist — or let us handle it

5. Impact Damage & Wear-and-Tear

Whether it’s a forklift bump or a backed-in trailer, physical damage is the most unpredictable — but not uncommon — source of commercial door failure.

We’ve seen:

• Bent panels from truck impacts

• Misaligned tracks from accidental hits

• Doors that still “work” but fail to close completely, wasting energy

Prevent it with:

• Bollards and bumpers in key traffic areas

• Visual striping or signage to guide forklift drivers

• Post-incident inspections to ensure everything’s still aligned

And when damage does happen, act fast. What starts as a minor dent can lead to operator strain or track failure if left unrepaired.

Why “It Still Works” Is the Wrong Metric

Many facilities wait until something breaks before calling for help. But just because a door still opens doesn’t mean it’s healthy. It could be:

• Running too hot

• Pulling too much load

• On the edge of a spring failure

A preventative maintenance check is like an annual physical for your equipment. You catch issues before they sideline your operation.

How ELDS Helps Prevent Door Failure

At ELDS, we build custom preventative maintenance programs for every type of door — rolling steel, sectional, high-speed fabric, and even fire-rated doors. Our programs are designed for:

• Grocery chains

• Warehousing and distribution

• Auto dealerships and service shops

• Manufacturing plants and cold storage facilities

Our service includes:

• Full door inspections and reports

• Cycle load analysis and spring balancing

• Operator testing and torque measurement

• Lubrication, fastener tightening, and sensor calibration

• Emergency response for anything that breaks in between
  

We don’t just fix doors. We keep them moving.

Ready to Prevent Your Next Failure?

Whether you’ve had a recent breakdown or want to get ahead of the next one, Eton Loading Dock Services offers commercial door PM plans across Ontario.

Contact us today for a site inspection and quote.