Common Signs Your Garage Door Needs a Repair
Your overhead garage door is critical, allowing you to access your garage, park your vehicles and protect your property and belongings. Learn the warning signs indicating your garage door will require maintenance soon to ensure it continues working.
Signs Your Garage Door Needs Repairs
While several signs indicate you require immediate garage door repair, others can be much more subtle. Keep an eye out for these signals that your overhead doors could require maintenance:
1. Abnormal Noises
Garage doors make noise when moving, but popping, rumbling, grinding, banging and grating are unusual. Issues could include a problem with the torsion springs, doors dragging against the track or misaligned doors.
2. Slow Movement
If your garage door opens or closes slower than before, there is likely an issue causing it to behave that way. Parts, such as the hinges, tracks or rollers, may be due for lubrication. The problem could also be related to the door’s age or how it is programmed.
3. Inability to Open or Close
Overhead doors that don’t open or close could be experiencing one of many problems. Some of the most common culprits include:
- Broken or disengaged cables
- Malfunctioning garage door opener
- Garage door off the tracks
- Damaged torsion springs
Whether your door is stuck open or closed or moves part way and then reverses, the inconvenience is often caused by one of these issues.
4. Damaged or Broken Panels
Garage door panels that break or start to rot can cause the door to stop working properly. Damage often occurs due to general wear and tear, but extreme weather and sunlight can also play a role. Whether you bumped into the overhead door with your car or discovered decay, you’ll want to schedule repairs quickly.
Benefits of Regular Garage Door Maintenance
The average life span of a modern garage door is anywhere from 15 to 30 years. Regular garage door maintenance helps you get the most value from your system with the longest serviceable life possible. Consider these benefits of investing in regular maintenance:
1. Preventing Major Mechanical Issues
By servicing your garage door regularly, you can limit the number of mechanical issues that occur — and catch existing ones before they worsen. A garage door expert can identify areas needing cleaning or replacement to limit future damage.
2. Ensuring Safety and Security
Operational issues — like failing to open or close your garage door — compromise your family’s safety and security. If your garage door stops working as it should, your home could be more vulnerable to intruders. Your system also withstands immense tension in the springs to lift and release the door. Without regular maintenance, this system could wear out and the springs may break, making your door unsafe and inoperable.
3. Improving Your Home’s Appearance
Your garage door is an essential part of your home’s curb appeal, and if it doesn’t look well-maintained, neither will the rest of your property. Dents and large scratches are unsightly. Plus, if your garage door is stuck in an unnatural position or off the track, it can detract from your home’s beauty. Curb appeal is an important factor to many homeowners, and your broken garage door can impact surrounding homes if it is in poor condition.
4. Limiting Expenses
Regular garage door maintenance can prevent you from spending money on major repairs and potentially a garage door replacement. Choosing a trusted garage door maintenance company like Halo Overhead Doors gives you access to affordable maintenance options that will help you save money in the long run.
Contact Halo Overhead Doors for Garage Door Maintenance
At Halo Overhead Doors, we strive to provide the best garage door maintenance, replacement and repair services. With decades of experience, we can help ensure your garage door’s safety and keep it performing at its best. Learn more about our maintenance services today!
Can You Replace Just the Bottom Panel of a Garage Door?
Your garage door is one of the most important features of your home. A quality garage door protects your vehicle, tools, and other personal belongings from theft and environmental threats. The first sign that your garage door may require repair is when damage occurs to the bottom panels. Fortunately, it is possible to replace the bottom panels to help preserve the entire door’s integrity and longevity.
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When It’s Okay to Just Replace a Panel or Section
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 require complete door replacements, while others may be fine with either a repair or a replacement. 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
The bottom panels of your garage door may require repair or replacement, but promptly scheduling a panel replacement will ensure your garage door does not accrue any further damage.
How to Replace a Panel
Learning about the panel replacement process will give you insight into the timeline of this service and how detrimental panel replacement is. Here are the basic steps you need to follow:
- Unplug the garage door power cord.
- Measure the garage door’s height, width, and depth.
- Attach the hoists to the garage door and the track.
- Keep the door balanced with a solid, heavy object.
- Use an impact wrench and vise grip to remove the panel hardware.
- Put the new panel(s) in place.
- Use a vise grip to attach the panel(s) to the tracks.
- Test the stability of the new panel(s).
Hire a Halo Overhead Doors Expert to Replace Your Garage Door Panel
At Halo Overhead Doors, we understand that you want to solve your garage door problems immediately. However, we caution anyone wanting to attempt a DIY panel repair without a professional. DIY garage door repairs are a bad idea unless you have prior experience. The risks of injuring yourself or causing further damage far outweigh the benefits.
On the other hand, hiring a professional to replace your garage door panels is safer, quicker and usually more cost-effective. Professional services offer warranties and may be covered by your insurance policy.
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 door repair service.