Picture the scene: it’s 8:15 in the morning, the kids have got to be at school for 8:30 and your alarm didn’t go off… Panic stations, right? You rush around trying to get everything ready, get everyone into the car and then BANG – you back into the garage door.
Or perhaps you’ve been hit with the first storm of the winter and you’ve misjudged how icy the driveway is, or you’ve forgotten about the bike or ski rack on the roof of the car…
Accidents happen! You’re first reaction is likely to get angry, but that won’t help the situation. So, what can you do?
It depends how badly damaged the door is
More often than not people back into the bottom section of the door, if this is the case your electric garage door opener should be able to almost completely open the door. Most garage door openers are strong enough to lift up to 350 lbs, but your garage door opener should never lift more than its usual load (between 8 and 10 lbs).
You need to evaluate the situation before you try to close the door: are the rollers still in their tracks and attached to the hinges? Are the lifting cables properly aligned? Be careful: the entire lifting system (bottom bracket, lifting cable and springs) is subject to very high tension, equal to the weight of the garage door – don’t touch any of the parts!
If you think everything looks okay, get your car out of the garage. Then from about 8 feet away, try pushing the button on your remote and see what happens… If you hear load grating noises and can see that the sections don’t fit together anymore, stop using your garage door by unplugging the door opener. Don’t touch any of the parts.
If the door has come off its tracks…
Unfortunately, you can’t really do anything, don’t touch any of the parts and call a specialist right away. Often, the name and telephone number of the specialist who fitted your door can be found on the door opener’s housing. Then of course, call on friends or family (or a taxi) so you can get out and run your errands.
Do I need to call my insurance company?
You should call your home insurance company if the garage door is seriously damaged, and if your car is damaged you’ll need to call the company that insures your car. Your car insurance will not cover damages to your garage door.
Before you call either company examine the deductibles on your policies, is making a claim worth it?
Are garage door repairs expensive?
Of course, the cost of repairs will depend on the extent of the damage and the age of your garage door. If your door is above a certain age replacement sections may no longer be available. If the entire door opening system needs replacing you can estimate between two and three hours of labour.
Whereas if only one section needs to be replaced, you will need to work out the price for a complete 4-section door (for 7- to 8-ft doors) and divide by four. Labour costs make up a significant amount of the total price, as the door will need to be taken apart (not including the tracks) and then re-installed as if it were a new door.
What about garage door replacements?
If your door is irreparably damaged contact us at 1-877-794-4223. We know garage doors better than anyone else in the industry. Talk to us about your needs and we’ll email you a free quote.
We can even come out to your home and talk you through our entire range, and advise you about the best choice for your needs. Or if you prefer, try out our design center or browse through our image gallery for inspiration.
Add new comment