Can I Replace Just a Panel of My Garage Door?
May 21, 2018Your garage door is one of the most important features of your home. Whether your garage functions as a parking space, a workshop, storage room or entertainment area, it is uniquely suited to serving a variety of needs. A quality garage door protects your vehicle, tools and other personal belongings from theft and environmental threats. It also acts as an attractive part of your exterior that increases curb appeal and can raise your home’s value. Preserving the integrity of its structure is key.
Throughout the lifespan of your garage door, it will encounter mechanical and environmental challenges. On average, homeowners open and close their garage doors roughly 1,500 times each year. As the door ages, its parts will begin to show their wear. Temperature changes and weather can also adversely affect the door over time. The moment you discover damage to your garage door, it’s critical to find an affordable and reliable garage door maintenance provider that will provide you with a swift solution.
Halo Overhead Doors is the family-owned, locally operated garage door provider homeowners throughout the Houston area have trusted since 1991. Throughout our decades of providing families with attractive, long-lasting, high-performance doors, we’ve seen nearly every garage door damage imaginable. From dings and dents to cracks and corrosion, our expert technicians have repaired or replaced hundreds of malfunctioning units with fantastic new garage doors. No matter what your unique problem may be, we have an affordable solution that will perfectly meet your specific needs.
As a full-service overhead door company, our goal is to provide our customers with the knowledge and service they need to make the best decision for their home. Halo Overhead Doors features a team of factory-trained technicians and a knowledgeable support staff that are committed to your 100 percent satisfaction.
Wondering if you need a new garage door or if you can just replace the damaged panel or section? Halo Overhead Doors is ready to answer all your questions.
Can I Replace a Panel or Section of My Garage Door?
Once your garage door panels incur damage, you may assume you need to install a brand-new door. But can you replace a single panel or section of the garage door instead? Yes! As long as the manufacturer is still making that door model, we can replace a single panel or section of your garage door. That includes things like scrapes, dents, cracking, peeling and any other form of cosmetic or structural damage. Even panels that have become faded, stained or unattractive through age or weathering are worth replacing.
A damaged panel or malfunctioning garage door is a huge inconvenience we know you’ll want to solve as quickly as possible. To make certain you’re not only fixing the problem quickly, but also correctly, it’s critical to enlist the help of an experienced, high-quality company you can trust. Before you make a final decision in choosing a garage door repair or replacement service, we advise you first consider these key points:
- Are they a reputable business? Any service or company you choose to do business with should be honest, reliable and trustworthy. An honorable company will provide you with a reasonable estimate before beginning work on the project and responsibly complete the job without cutting corners. They’ll also have easily verifiable credentials, and their previous customers will speak highly of their service. Halo Overhead Doors is a family-owned, locally operated company that has proudly served the greater Houston area for nearly 30 years.
- Have they answered all my questions? You should not commit to a garage door replacement or repair until you feel confident in your purchase. A dependable business will thoroughly explain what caused your problem, what the appropriate repair is or why you should replace the entire door. They’ll then show you their completed repairs and provide you with any additional information you need. We believe in transparency, and are happy to answer all your questionsto give you peace of mind.
- Will the service and parts be insured and come with a warranty? As with any investment in your home, you need to think about the long-term benefits and potential costs of each purchase. Protect against future damages or malfunctions by choosing a company that offers reliable warranties. Halo Overhead Doors offers warranties on springs, repairs, installations and the doors themselves.
How to Know When It’s OK to Just Replace a Panel or Section
A factory-trained technician will be able to assess your garage door and determine the appropriate solution. Each type of door and the damage it has incurred is unique and needs to be diagnosed on a case-by-case basis. Some forms of damage will result in complete door replacements. However, other forms of damage to panels or sections may only need to be repaired or replaced. You may be able to repair or replace your panels if you have:
- New panels that have available replacements
- Minor dents or dings on the door
- Slight scratches or scuffs in the paint
Regardless of the damage, call a professional to assess it as soon as possible. There are plenty of reasons you should not wait to have your garage door repaired, including:
- It may be unsafe. Don’t allow a potential hazard in your home to go untreated. Although the damage to your garage door may only seem cosmetic, you’ll want to be sure there isn’t an underlying structural issue. For instance, if a vehicle dented the garage door panel or section, it could affect the hinges, track or springs, which can cause the door to become unstable and lead to an injury.
- Your neighbors will appreciate it. Not only do you appreciate the appearance of your home, your neighbors do, too! Some homeowners’ associations may impose a fine on your home for having visible garage door damage. Fixing the door promptly may save you from these penalties.
- Your community may require it. Ordinances in your area may require you to provide necessary minimum upkeep on your home, which may include ensuring the garage door doesn’t appear broken or dilapidated. Code enforcement officers may cite your home or potentially fine you if the damage isn’t fixed.
- It hurts your curb appeal. Garage doors are a vital part of your curb appeal. Because your garage door is one of the five home improvements that can generate the highest return on investment, fashion is just as important as function. Keeping your garage door looking top-notch by repairing broken panels will prevent your curb appeal from decreasing.
- It jeopardizes your security. A garage door is just that — a door. Of all of the doors in your home, it’s the most vulnerable point of entry. Allowing a broken door panel or section to remain unattended can put your home’s security at risk.
Should I Replace My Garage Door?
Unfortunately, many times a problem with a panel indicates a larger problem with the door. Factors like age, weather, costs and system damage can also influence a complete garage door replacement. Wondering, “Do I need a new garage door?” Look for these signs you may need to purchase a full replacement:
- The door is an older model. Although you may have enjoyed years of quality performance with your current garage door, if the manufacturer is no longer making that specific model, you may not be able to get a replacement panel or section. Since each model requires specific replacement parts, you may need to purchase a new door if you can’t get parts for an older model.
- Multiple sections need to be replaced. Depending on the specific model of the door, the cost to replace multiple sections may begin to rival the cost of a brand-new garage door. Instead of investing in new sections for an old door, you may choose to replace the entire unit with a new model that will come with a new warranty.
- The parts connected to the panel were also damaged. Although on the outside, it may seem like only the exterior of the door is damaged, the garage door system may also be compromised. A service technician will be able to assess the entire system and diagnose any problems resulting from the panel damage.
- The entire door has faded due to weather. While you may only need to replace one or two sections of the door, the replacements may be a slightly different shade than your current door’s color. If the weather has caused the color of the full door to lose some of its luster, you may want to consider replacing the entire door so the whole unit has a matching color that does not distract from or diminish your curb appeal.
Why You Should Hire a Professional to Replace the Panel or Door
Whether it’s time to replace a single panel or the entire garage door, we understand many homeowners want to put the inconvenience behind them as quickly as possible. While we agree it’s important to solve your garage door problems as soon as you can, we caution anyone who may want to attempt to repair or replace a panel, section or entire door themselves. Why should you hire a professional?
- Your insurance may require it. Each insurance plan will state whether it covers garage door damage and subsequent repairs or replacements. Your unique homeowner’s insurance plan may not cover repair or replacement fees if you choose to complete the job yourself. If future damage results from the work you completed, the insurance plan may also not cover these incidents or any injuries you may incur.
- You could cause more damage to the door. While the average homeowner can easily complete many home repairs, garage door repair is not one of them. Aside from potentially purchasing the wrong size or model of replacement panels, attempting to fix the issue alone can potentially cause more problems. You could mistakenly damage other panels during the replacement process. Significant damage could also occur if you incorrectly adjust other parts of the system, like the springs, track or motor.
- Amateurs may improperly repair it. Whether it’s an unlicensed contractor or a neighbor who is handy with a set of tools, anyone other than a factory-trained technician should not perform garage door repairs, including the homeowner. A responsible service will have the necessary licensure, bonds, credentials and insurance needed to perform a quality job that leaves nothing to chance. If the unlicensed person working on the door or any others living or visiting the home get injured as a result of incorrect installation, you may be liable.
- Professionals offer warranties. You want your investment to stretch as far as possible. Purchasing a replacement panel or new garage door that comes with a reliable warranty safeguards that investment and carries it through years of unforeseen complications. As the only Clopay Master Dealer in Houston, Halo Overhead Doors offers a double warranty with the Clopay Gold Bar Warranty.
While the statements above are valid reasons to trust your garage door repairs to a professional, the most critical reason to hire a professional is that it protects the health and safety of your loved ones.
A Professional Ensures Your Family’s Safety
Garage doors are vital features of the home. However, like many other complex household machines, there are health and safety risks associated with malfunctioning garage doors. Each year, thousands of injuries result from garage door accidents. Unfortunately, this number includes young children. Common injuries caused by garage doors include:
- Bone fractures
- Lacerations or bruising
- Concussions
- Permanent disabilities
- Pinched joints
- Severed limbs
- Death
As a family-owned company, we value our loved ones above all else. Along with a priority to ensure the safety of our technicians in the field, Halo Overhead Doors believes in fully educating our customers about the potential dangers of untrained garage door maintenance. Don’t jeopardize your family’s health and safety in hopes of saving money or expediting a highly technical project. Our community is very important to us. Let the professionals at Halo Overhead Doors solve your problems and safeguard your family’s well-being.
Information to Give Halo Overhead Doors
At Halo Overhead Doors, we value our customers’ time. We know a malfunctioning or damaged garage door is a significant inconvenience, and it’s our goal to repair or replace your door as quickly and efficiently as we can. Before you speak to one of our helpful technicians, gather the following information so we can assist you as swiftly and accurately as possible.
- Model number/door brand: Providing our technicians with the serial number for the door will help them locate the correct replacement panel. You can usually find this number on either the bottom or side interior section of your garage door. If you fail to locate the product information, our friendly staff will be happy to assist you over the phone or in person.
- Measurements: Accurate measurements of your garage door and panel will help ensure we provide you with a replacement that fits perfectly. Measure the width of the door, then the height. If you are only aiming to replace one particular section, identify the width and height of that specific panel.
- Interior/exterior photographs: Although our technicians will assess the damage to your garage door in person, they can begin their diagnosis and repair suggestions by observing the problem before their arrival. Please snap a few quick photos of the entire door from the inside and outside of the garage, as well as close-up views of the damaged areas. Then, email us these images, and we’ll be able to take the first steps in fixing your problem.
For some homeowners, gathering this information may not be easy. The model or brand stickers can fall off or become unreadable over time. Larger garage doors may be difficult to measure alone. We want to minimize your inconveniences and relieve you of all your worries. From the moment you call Halo Overhead Doors until well after the job is complete, our talented team will use their knowledge, tools and expertise to help you every step of the way!
Halo Overhead Doors: Your Garage Door Specialist
Halo Overhead Doors offers an unparalleled selection of high-end garage doors that can meet and exceed the needs of all residential and commercial properties. Visit our expansive showroom, which proudly displays many of our high-quality garage doors from Clopay and other leading manufacturers. We’ll gladly match any written quote and offer affordable financing options, including Green Tree Zero Percent Interest, that will cater to any budget. With a commitment to the finest quality and the timeliest service, Halo Overhead Doors never disappoints.
If you need a panel or section replacement for your garage door, trust the experts at Halo Overhead Doors to provide you with the most reliable and highest-quality garage door repair service Houston homeowners have trusted for nearly 30 years.