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Garage door repair is inevitable. Eventually, homeowners must decide between repair and new garage door replacement. The longer your garage door lasts, the greater the return on investment, or ROI, you get from it. Maintaining it improves reliability and longevity, and can improve home resale value, but how do you decide when the most cost-effective approach is to replace your damaged garage door rather than fix it?
How to Handle a Damaged Garage Door
If your garage door has been damaged, it is never a good idea to let the problem linger. It may provide both animals and people the ability to get into your home. Let’s look at when you can get away with repairing the door and when it is best to replace it entirely.
What Type of Damage Did the Door Sustain?
The first question a homeowner needs to ask is what type of damage the door sustained. If the damage is limited to a certain spot on the door or is merely cosmetic in nature, it may be possible to fix it. A contractor may be able to sand and paint a door or replace springs that may be worn or that weren’t installed correctly. However, if the entire door is dented or has a hole in it, it may be best to simply replace it as it may not be able to guard against people or the elements anymore.
How Old Is the Garage Door?
If the garage door was put into place in the past couple of years, it may be best to try and repair the door if at all possible. This is because it may still have plenty of useful life left assuming that the door itself wasn’t completely destroyed. Newer doors may also have a warranty that covers some or all of the cost of repairing the door. A homeowner’s insurance policy may also help to pay for the cost of a product with useful life left.
Types of Garage Door Damage
Garage door damage may fit into one of three categories:
- Cosmetic: A cracked panel or chipped or faded paint can be fixed. Weather conditions and minor impacts can affect a garage door’s appearance. Unless there are other underlying issues, fix cosmetic damage before it affects curb appeal.
- Structural: Broken panels, warping, and other structural problems can prevent the garage door opening system from working properly. In extreme temperatures and severe weather, this can be hard to avoid, but updating to a stronger steel door is known to boost home values.
- Function: A garage door may open or close slowly, loudly, or intermittently or get stuck. Functional issues can occur for many reasons. If a spring is damaged, it’s best to repair it, but if there are more serious issues, replacing the system may save you time, energy, and money.
Common Garage Door Problems That Can Be Repaired
Sometimes, you may wonder whether you need a new garage door, but here are issues that can often be fixed:
- Leaks: If rainwater is getting in from the bottom of your garage door, oftentimes replacing the bottom seal helps.
- Unbalanced Door: A technician can realign the door if it is uneven while operating or if it goes slightly off the track, before excess wear and tear damage the motor and lifting system.
- Noise: Loud grinding, clicking, or squeaking aren’t uncommon, but can signal different types of issues only a repair professional can properly diagnose.
- The Door Stops Working: Sudden breakdowns are often due to single issues; which may be as simple as a dead remote control battery.
- The Door Has More Weight: Most likely, there’s a lack of support due to worn springs; if the door is heavy when you test it manually, spring replacement is quick and affordable.
- Damage to a Single Panel: Any physical damage should be repaired quickly. If the problem is limited to one panel, you can usually replace it rather than the entire door.
Why Is Repairing a Garage Door Yourself Dangerous?
Homeowners often panic when their garage door is damaged. However, it’s best to assess the situation and consider your options, because fixing the door yourself can be dangerous. For example, if you hit the garage door with your car, you don’t know the extent of the damage. There are plates, hinges, and other parts you can’t see; attempting a DIY repair risks having the door collapsing on you.
The track system that keeps your garage door in line is complex. If it is damaged, the door can break loose if you open, close, or try to fix it. A repair professional has the experience, knowledge, and training to repair the tracks safely.
Why Replace Your Garage Door?
Garage door owners who leave issues unaddressed for months or years are more likely to require a replacement, because over time, even small issues can cause serious damage to the lifting mechanism. Severe damage also warrants replacement. Repairing portions of a garage door can cost more than a new system.
Age is a factor as well. Plus, advances in garage door design, efficiency, and security mean a replacement can improve not only the value of your home, but your safety. If a burglar has broken in through the garage, you can eliminate weaknesses and vulnerabilities with a new garage door.
If the door lacks child safety features such as sensor, replace it. Newer doors are better insulated anyway. A new one can provide energy savings by adding protection aside from the insulation separating your garage and the rest of your home.
Our Certified Technicians Are Ready to Help
At Precision Door Service of Las Vegas, we can repair your garage door, which is routine service. When you have a more extensive problem, face high repair costs, or your door is old/outdated, we can replace it with a high-quality, leading-brand custom new garage door. We are the Las Vegas garage door repair company you can trust, so call 702-637-2700 today!
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