Is Your Garage Door Broken?
While some homeowners may only use the garage for storage, a functioning garage door is vital so that they can get the most out of their garage. Garages are an excellent investment and can be a multi-functional space in the home. When the garage door stops working, it can be hard to know whether the problem is repairable or not. The following guide can help homeowners decipher whether they need to repair or replace their garage door. If you still have any questions, you can contact a garage door expert at Legacy Garage Doors!
Garage Door Issues and How to Fix Them
Below, we’ve covered a few common garage door problems and whether the issue will likely require garage door repair or garage door replacement
1. Garage Door Suddenly Stops Working
If the garage door suddenly stops working one day, it’s likely an issue that can be repaired. However, this might not always be the case. A sudden malfunction is likely due to an isolated incident in comparison to a garage door that has had longstanding issues. Before you call a garage door professional, make sure to check the batteries in the garage door opener. Sometimes, in the stress of the early morning when you’re trying to get out of the house, you may mistake dead batteries for an irreparable garage door. If you change the batteries and the garage door still doesn’t work, call a garage door repair professional.
2. Heavy Garage Door
Garage doors are heavy. However, the garage door mechanism is designed in a way to ensure that the full weight of the door doesn’t wear it down. If something isn’t working quite right with your garage door and it seems too heavy, it’s possible that the garage door springs have worn down. In this case, a garage door repair person can replace the garage door springs instead of the entire garage door.
3. A Damaged Panel on the Garage Door
If a single panel is damaged on the garage door, don’t stress out about replacing the entire door. As long as the damage is contained within a single panel, a garage door technician can swap out the damaged panel for a new one from the manufacturer. However, keep in mind that if you ignore a damaged panel on the garage door, the damage can spread and you may end up needing a garage door replacement. Address any garage door damage as soon as possible to avoid further costs and repairs.
4. Garage Door is Sagging
If it seems that the garage door is sagging or that one side is higher than the other when it’s halfway open, that’s a sign that your garage door is improperly balanced. If you ignore this issue, you can expect that the unnecessary stress on the lift motor will result in costly repairs or a garage door replacement. If you notice that your garage door is sagging, call a garage door technician to balance the garage door as soon as possible.
5. Garage Door Working Improperly for a Long Time
If the garage door is a constant source of frustration, it may be time for a replacement. Unlike spontaneous issues that are addressed immediately, longstanding issues that have gone a long time without repair may result in the need for a total garage door replacement. It’s best to have a garage door technician like one of the experts from Legacy Garage Doors come take a look if you’ve got a problematic garage door.
6. Severe Damage to the Garage Door
If the garage door is severely damaged, it’ll likely be more cost-effective to replace the garage door than to repair it. Examples of severe damage that require garage door replacement include fallen tree limbs, storm damage, and collision damage. However, you can always have a garage door repair technician come out and look at the damage to assess whether you need a replacement or repair.
7. Old Garage Door
An ancient garage door may be past the point of repair. However, a well-maintained garage door can last quite a long time. In the case of an older garage door, we recommend having a garage door technician come out to your home and check to see if it needs replacement or repair to resume normal function.
8. Garage Door Lacks Safety Features
Safety sensors on garage doors detect when a child or pet crosses the threshold while the door is closing. These sensors prompt the door to stop immediately to avoid any injury to small children or pets. Garage doors are heavy and can cause significant injuries. While some older garage doors can have sensors retro-fitted, others are too expensive to modify. To ensure that small animals and children are safe, it’s critical to replace the garage door with a safer model.
9. Garage Door Isn’t Energy Efficient
In the case of a garage door that uses too much energy, it may be worth it to homeowners to replace the garage door completely. Garage door replacements are one of the best home improvement projects when it comes to return on investment (ROI). Replacing the garage door will improve your property value and increase your energy efficiency.
How Can Legacy Garage Doors Help You?
Sometimes, garage doors stop working without any warning. You click the remote and nothing happens. You touch the wall-mounted button and nothing happens. Luckily, whatever the inexplicable reason may be for your garage door to stop functioning, our team of garage door repair technicians are available all day, every day, to give your garage door the parts and services it needs to function at its intended capacity. Call Legacy Garage Doors today!
