Age and heavy use will affect your replacement timeline

For many East Tennessee homeowners, a garage door is a major feature of the front of our homes. Perhaps your door takes up one-third or even more of your frontage. It may be time to improve your home’s curb appeal with a new garage door.  If your door no longer operates as smoothly as it once did, you may be considering repairs. However, all problems can’t necessarily be fixed. The scope of repairs may influence your decision to replace the door with a new model.

Here are 5 things to think about:

1. Declining appearance

Metal doors are susceptible to dents.  These could be dimples from a summer hailstorm or an errant baseball throw. Or dents can be larger, the result of a misjudgment with a car bumper. An unsightly dent can rapidly give way to a rusty scar and weakening corrosion, especially if the previous owner went for the lowest-cost, low-durability option.

If you have a wood door, it is not unusual for unprotected panels to wick up melted snow or rain. Our consultants see panels that warp or even rot.Also, with the added weight of water, the heavier door can strain your electronic opener system.

2. Noisy operation

Has your door system gotten noisier in the past months? Even after a shot of lubricant, loud noises can persist. Listen for incessant grinding noises, creaking and squealing. Some worn-out components may be replaceable. On the other hand, weighing the cost of repair plus the odds of more problems down the road may lead you to decide in favor of a new lift system.

3. Weather encroaching

Is rainwater coming in, bringing puddles to your garage floor? Strong gusts of wind coming under or around the closed door?  Weatherstripping can be replaced in some cases, but excessive intrusions can be a symptom of an older door in need of replacement.Keep in mind that for an attached garage, today’s modern overhead doors can offer energy efficiency that can make a difference in your home utility bills or create a more pleasant work space if your garage does double-duty.

4. Safety first

A manually operated door is counterweighted by springs. If the adjustment or balance is off, it can crash heavily, a potential hazard around children and pets.  If you have an electronic garage door opener, it should include important safety features such as electronic photo eye sensors and a working auto-reverse function.

5. Damaged components

Inspect your door system regularly for failing components, including:

• Brokensprings
• Damaged/dented door tracks
• Damaged/rusting hinges
• Deteriorating/rusting cables
• Rusting screws/bolts

Rust is more than just an unsightly change of color. It’s a symptom of corrosion that eventually can cause dangerous malfunction in your door system. Serious wear and tear on a heavy garage door can be a danger to you and your family. 

End of life

Most manufacturers claim that a garage door can last 15-30 years. Many outside factors can affect that estimate. Perhaps the previous homeowner was less attentive to maintenance. Maybe a clumsy driver caused some damage to the door or its rails. If your door is more than 20 years old, it could likely be time to shop for a replacement.

Let us help

Trying to decide between repair and replace? If you live in Knox, Anderson, Roane, Union, Grainger, Hamblen, Jefferson, Sevier, Blount, or Loudon county, Overhead Door Company of Knoxville can serve all your garage door needs. Click here or call 865.635.9320 to tell us about your concerns. We will happily consult with you and provide you with a professional service call or estimate.