Maybe you’ve had one of those mornings. You know, the morning where you’re off to a late start, don’t have time to do your hair just right, and you’re rushing to get yourself and your kids out the door on time. You rush through your routine, run out the door, throw your car into reverse, hit the gas and then your whole morning comes to a crashing halt. Why? You forgot to open the garage door, so now there’s a large car-sized dent in your garage door. Maybe it’s even barely hanging off the hinges. Now what?
First, take a deep breath. There’s no reason to be ashamed or embarrassed. Here at Alpha Doors, we’ve seen it all in the world of garage doors. Whether it’s the dead of winter and homeowners hit a patch of ice that caused them to crash into their door, or a driving lesson with their teenager went awry, accidents happen, and sometimes they end with a large dent in your garage door.
So, whatever the reason, here’s what to do if you’ve backed into your garage door.
Assess The Garage Door Damage
The most common garage door accidents result in damage to the bottom half of the garage door. The force of hitting your garage door can cause the rollers to come off the tracks, the lifting cables may not be aligned or the torrison springs may be damaged. Many of this will vary depending on how fast your vehicle was moving when the accident happened.
Because of this, it’s important to take a look at the damage before attempting to use your electric garage door opener. Keep in mind your garage door brackets, lifting cables and springs are under very high tension, which may equal the weight of the entire garage door. Because of this, you should not touch them under any circumstance.
Once you’ve ensured that your car is a safe distance away, and it looks like there is minimal damage, you may try your electric garage door opener to see if it’s working.
Make sure you’re standing at least 8 feet away from your door. Once you hit the button, if you hear any unusual noises, unplug your garage door opener immediately.
If Your Door Comes off Completely
If you hit your garage door hard enough, it may cause the rollers to come out of the tracks completely. If this happens, you may want to call your insurance company first thing to work out the details.
Next, you should call your local garage door company and have it fixed professionally. The extent of the damage will determine how much labour will be necessary. The good news is that your garage door may be salvageable, which could save you costs.
If Your Garage Door is Stuck Open
If your garage door is stuck partially open, it can cause security concerns. If you’ve only tapped your door and it doesn’t look completely damaged, you can close it manually if it doesn’t take force. Be sure not to use your electric garage door opener if it looks like it may be damaged, as it may cause even more damage.
Contact Your Local Garage Door Company
After damaging your garage door, you’ll undoubtedly want a professional to inspect the damage, complete the repairs and ensure that your garage door will work properly and safely in the future.
If you need repairs on your garage door, don’t hesitate to call Alpha Doors. We’ve helped many Nanaimo homeowners who’ve backed into their garage door fix their doors in a timely and professional manner.
Call Alpha Doors for quick garage door repairs!