The garage door is a favorite entry point for burglars.
A large percentage of Americans have turned their garage into a storage space for some of their most valuable items. Apart from cars, people store bikes, power tools, sports equipment, expensive gardening tools, and so much more.
Additionally, about 55% of homeowners use the garage as their main entryway. It means that burglars can easily have access to the rest of the house once they manage to go through the garage door. For these reasons, if yours is breaking down, you need a new garage door.
It’s understandable that you feel it could wait a little longer before you plunge into an investment. However, at some point, your security has to come first.
In this guide, we’ll help you understand the signs it’s time to get a new garage door and give you that final nudge.
1. You’re Having Problems Opening and Closing It
If your garage door keeps malfunctioning, moving awkwardly, or showing inconsistency, it becomes unreliable. It may stop completely one of these days, and you’ll have an emergency on your hands.
Some of the signs that should you be looking out for include irregularities like inconsistent responses to switches and buttons. It could be due to faulty connections that synchronize with your remote control. You could also be looking at a broken garage door.
One thing you have to understand about garage doors is that they are powerful machines with numerous moving parts. After years of wear and tear, it can suddenly stop working, so if you have been noticing these signs, you may want to consider replacing it.
It’s wise to call in a professional garage door technician to have it checked out.
2. It’s Been Making Weird Noises
The smoothness and quietness of your garage door characterize its optimal functionality. The noise is an indication that something is wrong, and this could be from several culprits.
The first culprit is a bad spring that’s been strained or pinched. It could also be a worn-out bracket or worn-out rollers. When the bearings in the rollers or pulleys become dull or loose, it could cause the noise you’ve been hearing.
If your door has been getting noisier by the week, it could be an indication that something could snap anytime. This could spell out a huge problem because garage doors can be heavy. If it was to fall unexpectedly, it could cause property damages, or worse, personal injuries.
Before disaster strikes, consider scheduling garage repairs, and if the problem is extensive, consider getting a new garage door instead.
3. Your Garage Door Is Sagging
Sagging may not be one of the most common garage door problems, but it’s an indication that you need a new garage door. It would be a big mistake to overlook a sagging garage door because it could malfunction and be a hazardous danger to children, pets, and even adults.
A sagging door can be an indication of several problems like a worn-out tension spring. If those springs are strained, they become ill-equipped to hold the garage door completely. It could also be dull rollers, especially if you have rubber rollers that wear out faster and need to be replaced after a few years.
If the rollers have lost their fitting, it could be the reason why your garage door is sagging under their weight. If not dulled rollers, then it could be dull tracks that have been ravaged over time. Regardless of the culprit, a sagging garage door is dangerous and needs to be addressed immediately.
4. Your Garage Door Is Broken or Chipped
Of all the things in your home, your garage door takes the most abuse after your roof. It may not take the direct brunt of falling objects or adverse weather.
However, the average garage door is opened about three to five times a day and takes the hits of objects thrown by children playing in the driveway.
Consequently, it can chip or break after a few years of service. Some of the areas that could come undone include the panels, bottom rubber lining, and edges.
This is more so for wooden garage doors. If some of these chips and breaks go unrepaired, you will eventually have a garage door breaking down on you unexpectedly.
5. You’ve Noticed Broken or Loose Wires or Cords
Garage doors are usually supported by numerous wires and cords, and once they become frayed, the support system becomes weak.
Some of these cords include the garage door opener cords. If they break or fray, your garage door could sag, and if they snap all of a sudden, it could come crashing down, putting you in danger.
6. The Garage Door Track or Hinges Are Broken
The tracks and hinges of your garage door play a vital role in moving the door up and down. If they are misaligned, bent, or broke, it could be impossible to open the garage door. This happens due to wear and tear, and your garage door could be too old.
If shutting the door completely is impossible, the gaps become an avenue for coldness, pests, rodents, and snakes. If you notice this issue, you need to consider hiring a professional garage door technician who will help you decide on getting a new garage door.
7. It’s Become Energy Inefficient
If you have an older garage door model, you may have noticed spiked energy bills. This is because it’s lacking in some of the modern energy efficiency updates, such as sealing joints and weather strips.
These additions control the temperatures not just in your garage but the rest of your home as well.
8. It’s Become an Eyesore
Your garage door is a prominent part of your property and contributes greatly to your curb appeal. The appearance of your garage door can significantly affect the value of your home.
A new garage, on the other hand, can make your property more attractive and more modern, increasing the value of your home by a lot.
Signs It’s Time to Upgrade to a New Garage Door
Have you been wondering if it’s about time you upgrade your garage door? Listed above are some of the tell-tale signs that you may need a new garage door. If you come to a similar conclusion, you must hire a professional garage door company for a new installation.
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