The garage door on your home serves as one of the key entry points of your home and helps keep your vehicle or other belongings secure. As a homeowner, it is easy to become preoccupied and accidentally drive into or back into your garage door. Damage to your garage door from impact can range from a dent that needs repair to a cracked or crushed structure that requires replacement. While you may feel stunned or upset, there are actions you can take to help mitigate the problems that arise from door accidents.
1. Check on Your Passengers
It is important to take a deep breath and ensure the well-being of yourself and any passengers in the vehicle. Put your vehicle’s gear into “park” and turn it off before exiting the vehicle. This helps safeguard against further accidents. Next, check on yourself and all passengers to ensure that no one has sustained injuries. Even the slightest impact can jerk or jolt individuals inside of a car. Always confirm personal safety first before proceeding.
2. Assess Your Garage Door
Once you have safely exited the vehicle, the next step is to assess your garage door for damage. Signs of damage to look for include dents, bends, cracks, splinters, or markings in the door panels. Other problems to look for include snapped cables, broken springs, or misaligned tracks. During this step, any evaluation should remain visual to avoid injury from a potentially dangerous structure.
3. Document the Damage
Write down a list of everything that seems out of place on your door. These factors may include rails, panels, or the door opener itself. Your garage door repair service may use this list as an initial checklist before offering an estimate. It is important to take pictures of both your car and the door. These pictures provide crucial evidence or support if you need to file insurance claims.
4. Check the Door’s Operation
Another action you may wish to take is to check the garage door’s operation. This can help you determine whether the dent or scratch is cosmetic or has caused more underlying structural damage. While it may feel tempting to use the automatic garage door opener or switch, experts advise against testing your door with this device. If the accident involved a high degree of force or velocity, for example, the automatic opener mechanism may have suffered extensive damage. Trying to force the garage door opener with this button may cause more harm than good. Any homeowner who wishes to test the door’s operation should disconnect the automatic or electronic opener and try using the manual opener. If you notice the garage door is misaligned or completely off its tracks, avoid physically moving the door to prevent it from falling off its tracks. In this scenario, reach out to a trained expert for assistance.
5. Contact a Professional for Repairs or Replacement
The final important step to take after a garage door accident is to reach out to a professional garage door company. Professionals have the training necessary to conduct a comprehensive assessment and determine whether your garage door needs to be repaired or replaced. Experts also have the knowledge and equipment to perform these services safely. Attempting to fix a garage door yourself can result in major injuries. Garage door springs and cables often hold a lot of tension that can result in injury if they snap. Hardware components, like rollers and tracks, consist of sharp metal that requires experience for correct alignment. Hiring a garage door expert is the most efficient and cost-effective way to restore your door correctly. Documentation of professional work may also help ensure that your warranty remains valid and may help prevent the denial of insurance claims. If your garage door is outdated or damaged beyond repair, a professional can install an updated model. You can ask for additional features like sensors to help prevent future incidents.
Professional Garage Door Assistance
Backing your car into a garage door is a frustrating experience. Fortunately, you do not have to leave your property in disrepair. Legacy Garage Doors offers garage door inspections and repairs for homes in Boise, ID, and the surrounding areas. We offer professional garage door repair or replacements for both homes and businesses. Our contractors work with all types of garage doors. We can fix or replace your garage door opener, and we also perform spring repairs. Contact Legacy Garage Doors today for all of your garage door needs.
