Garage Door Repair or Replacement: Which is Your Best Option?

It’s often difficult to decide whether to repair or replace your garage door. Especially if it’s your first house and you don’t have any prior experience with the issue. There are definitely times when repair is the right choice but there also comes a time in the life of all garage doors that the only reasonable option is replacement. So how can you decide which course of action is the right one? In this post we’re going cover reasons you may want to replace your door along with some common problems that can be repaired without much trouble.

Signs that Garage Door Repair is in Order

Garage door repair is something you’ll want to do quickly before small problems mushroom into big, dangerous ones. Here are some problems that can be easily repaired by the technicians from A Better Garage Door:

• The Door Suddenly Stops Working: If the door is working fine on Tuesday and then refuses to open on Wednesday chances are it’s something that can be repaired pretty easy. It might be a broken spring or a roller that has jumped the track and is causing things to jam up. In any event our technicians should have things back to normal in no time.
• The Door Doesn’t Open or Close All the Way: This is typically a problem with an old or broken spring. Keep in mind that, in spite of what some DIY videos may say, you should never attempt to repair or replace torsion or extension springs yourself. The amount of energy stored in these devices is enormous and so is the potential for grave injury if things aren’t handled properly.
• The Auto Reverse Stops Working: The auto reverse is an important safety mechanism that allows the door to detect if someone or something is in the way when the door is closing. If the auto reverse fails or you suspect it is malfunctioning you’ll want to have it repaired as quickly as possible for the sake of everyone in the house.
• A Panel is Damaged: If the car accidently hits the door or a branch slams into the door during a storm it could damage one or more of the garage door panels. While damaged panels look unsightly and may represent a security risk there is usually no need to replace the door itself. We can replace any damaged panels and quickly have your door back to looking great.
• You Hear Strange Sounds Coming from the Motor: Garage door openers operate independently from the rest of the door and have a life of their own. If you hear grinding or other unpleasant sounds coming from the opener it may be time to replace it, not the whole door.
• The Door is Shuddering as it Opens: This could mean that the door is out of alignment. Alignment problems can lead to serious safety issues and should be repaired without delay.

Signs it May be Time to Replace Your Garage Door

While garage door repair is the answer in many cases there are nonetheless some times when the only reasonable choice is to replace the door completely. Here are a few examples of when garage door replacement may be called for.

• The Door has been Seriously Damaged: On occasion accidents occur that result in serious damage to several components of the door simultaneously. Rather than trying to replace door panels, tracks, rollers and springs it’s often better to simply start over with an entirely new door.
• It’s Old: Fortunately garage doors don’t have feelings so you don’t have to worry about retiring them. As doors get old several components like hinges, rollers, springs and more begin to rust and the door in general becomes difficult or slow to open and close. Time for a new door.
• You’re a Proud New Owner of an Old House: Say you’ve just purchased a home with an old garage door on it that has lots of the aforementioned rusty parts and cracked panels. A new door can refresh the look of an older home and be an integral part of an exterior renovation scheme.

9 times out of 10 there’s no need for Broomfield or Brighton homeowners to replace their garage door. In most cases a simple repair will do the trick. However, if your garage door is more than 10 years old it may just be time to break down and ante up for a new one. Your home will look better, those entering and exiting the garage will be safer and you’ll enhance your home’s energy profile as well.

Timely Garage Door Service in Broomfield, Brighton and the rest of the GTA

If you have questions about garage door repair or replacement or are in need of emergency garage door servicing, give A Better Garage Door a call.