When to Buy a New Garage Door
Why buy a new garage door? Even if your garage door doesn’t have any major issues, underlying issues may make a new door a necessity. Replace your garage door when you encounter significant issues that a professional cannot fix or repair, including the following:
1. Significant Wear and Tear
Over time, garage doors can become worn down from wear and tear. Something as simple as frequency of use can affect your door — for example, if you use your garage door four times a day, it will likely last longer than those who use it eight or more times a day.
Weather factors can also influence the wear of your garage door, with significant rain and snow potentially leading to rusting and warping of the door. Mechanical failures become more common as doors age, with springs and lift cables needing more frequent replacement or maintenance over time. Even a slight track misalignment can progress to the point of serious damage to your garage door. With evidence of this kind of wear and tear, you need to replace your garage door.
2. Failure to Open or Close
Coming home after a long day and not being able to get inside due to a faulty garage door can be frustrating. If your door isn’t opening or closing properly, there are a few culprits for the cause:
- Faulty opener: An old or faulty garage door opener can lead to safety and security risks. Faulty openers can lead the auto-reverse feature to malfunction, putting anyone who walks under your closing door in danger. Thieves can also override old or outdated opener systems, giving them easy access to your home.
- Broken remote: Your remote could be out of batteries or become disconnected from the motor unit. More seriously, the motor unit may be burned out, calling for a complete replacement.
- Misaligned sensor: An obstructed sensor can impact the opening and closing of your door. Anything from dust and debris to more serious mechanical failure could be the cause.
You can solve some issues like dirt and debris yourself. Call a professional if you think your door needs any more serious repairs.
3. Damage to the Door
While small dents and scratches may not be very noticeable from the street, even minor dents can impact a door’s functionality. Having a dent in your door can prevent its smooth and unobstructed movement along the tracks, resulting in issues from misalignment to total door failure. In some cases, you might fix it by replacing one of the panels, but it’s usually better to replace the whole door.
If you notice any serious dents or the door encounters significant trauma from weather, sports balls or vehicles, call a professional to assess the damage and limit opening or closing the door until it is replaced or deemed safe for use.
4. Poor Energy Performance
Since a garage door can significantly impact a household’s energy output, having a poorly insulated garage can result in higher overall costs for utility bills and issues such as mold and water damage. Some insulation issues are fixable with repairs or additions, but old garage doors may not support these techniques.
If you discover your garage is at fault for your home’s poor energy performance, a new garage door can be an investment in future savings down the road and a greener choice for the environment.
Browse Our Showroom to Find Your New Garage Door
Olympic Garage Door services Port Angeles, Sequim, Port Townsend, and other areas throughout the Olympic Peninsula. We offer an extensive showroom staffed with professionals and a vast selection of new residential garage doors. A qualified technician will perform a site visit to your home to assess your property’s unique needs, answer your questions and oversee proper installation. At Olympic Garage Door, we also offer continued maintenance services to keep your new garage door functioning well over time.
Browse our selection of garage doors online or visit our showroom to speak with a knowledgeable team member. To learn more about our products and installation, call us at 360-452-3859 or fill out a contact form for a detailed estimate.