Here's an interesting fact: upgrading the garage door ranked number two among the home improvements most homeowners undertake. Why? Homeowners can easily recoup 94% of the costs when replacing their garage doors. Even if they have no plan to sell their property, many homeowners replace their garage door for other reasons.
For instance, aside from improving curb appeal and increasing their home's sale value, homeowners invest in garage door installation to lower energy bills or boost their security at home. What makes garage doors a great investment is they can last for decades as long as they are looked after accordingly.
How to Know If You Need a New Garage Door
Understandably, your garage door needs to be maintained both for aesthetic and practical reasons. However, if you notice one or several of the symptoms below, it can indicate that you need to replace your garage door stat.
1: Problem opening or closing your garage door.
One telltale sign your garage door needs to be replaced is when it fails to close and open accordingly. If you notice that your garage door responds to control prompts erratically, you might want to take a closer look. You need to also observe if your garage door moves inconsistently or awkwardly.
Ideally, your garage door should not take more than a second to respond. If not, it can be due to the following:
Faulty connection - if your garage door responds inconsistently to buttons or switches, a faulty connection with the electrical circuitry is the likely culprit.
Faulty wiring - if your garage door moves awkwardly, it is possible that it has faulty wiring or is off its tracks.
Broken opener wires - if your garage door refuses to close or open, it can be a case of broken garage opener wires that render the circuitry dead.
2: Garage door shakes when closing or opening.
Your garage door is designed to move steadily and smoothly without any tremors. If you notice your garage door is shaky, there's likely a problem with the belt, rollers, tracking, or lubrication. Also, if you notice your garage door shaking, you need to have it repaired or replaced before the problems cause you massive inconvenience.
3: Garage door sags.
While shaky movements and strange noises are considered alarming, a sagging garage door is typically viewed as a benign quirk. However, it is a huge mistake to ignore a sagging garage door.
A sagging garage door can indicate a more serious problem that can be dangerous to vehicles, children, and pets if left unattended. A sagging garage door can be caused by a worn tension spring, dull rollers, or dulled tracks.
4: Garage door hesitates.
Whether you're returning home or heading out, a garage door that hesitates can be a cause of significant delay. If you are in a hurry, a 10-second delay can seem to take forever. Ideally, your garage door should not take more than a second to respond to your commands. Otherwise, there is something wrong with it.
If your garage door hesitates, it can be caused by electrical or mechanical shortcomings. For instance, the garage door opener cords might be broken, or the pulleys are corroded. It is also likely that the garage door hesitates because of bad rollers. Whatever the cause may be, it would be best to have it checked by a professional.
5: Broken or bent garage door hinges or tracks.
Your garage door's tracks keep it aligned properly along the edges as the door moves up and down. Hinges are also important as they allow the garage door to fold over the angle between the ceiling and the front of the garage. When left unattended, broken garage door tracks and hinges can cause other problems.
For instance, it can cause your garage door to become uneven. If there is a slight dip in one end, if the garage door raises and lowers, it becomes incapable of supporting the door accordingly. You might also need to have the rollers replaced as bad tracks can wear the rollers down significantly.
6: Increasing utility bill.
When your garage door is not in motion or open, it is designed to seal the garage tightly. This is crucial as your garage door can help keep the cold out during the winter months. In other words, your garage door plays a vital role in your home's insulation.
If a slight gap is present at the edges or bottom while your garage door is shut, it won't be able to do its job of sealing your house properly. During winter, when your garage door is compromised, you will be forced to turn up the heat to compensate. This can result in high heating costs that can add up over months and years.
Final Thoughts
Looking after your garage door properly can help ensure it works properly for many years. However, various parts will eventually erode over the years and need to be replaced. It is recommended that you have your garage door inspected once a year or every two years by a licensed expert to ensure it functions optimally for many years to come.
