Backing or driving into a garage door happens more often than you might think. And while Steel-Line garage doors are made to last, a forceful hit with a vehicle can damage mechanisms that keep the door working optimally.
If you’ve had an accident and driven into your garage door, here are the appropriate precautions you need to take and steps to assess the door for damage.
Assess the Damage
After hitting your garage door with your car, you should first make sure there are no immediate safety risks in your surroundings. Then, visually inspect your garage door for damage.
Check each panel carefully, looking for dents and cracks. Next, check the frame and guide track. If the tracks are bent or out of alignment, don’t attempt to operate the door as you could do further damage or cause the door to become stuck. Finally, check the track and brackets of your automatic door opener for damage such as warping.
Prioritise Safety First
Always disconnect the power to your garage door opener before attempting to open it manually. However, take care as, depending on how hard the door was hit, it may bind or come off the track.
Don’t use the garage door opener to try and force the door open. If it becomes stuck, it can cause the opener motor to overheat and burn out. If your vehicle is stuck inside the garage, and it doesn’t seem safe to open the door yourself, you’ll need to call in professionals for emergency assistance.
If you can open the door, you should remove your vehicle whilst you find a temporary solution but avoid using the door until it has been repaired.
Determine if You Can Fix It Yourself
When a garage door is hit by the force of a vehicle, it has the potential to damage components such as springs, rails, cables and rollers. It may be difficult to see this damage yourself, so to prevent accidental injury, it’s always best to have the door assessed by a qualified garage door technician.
As you can imagine, a forceful hit to a garage door can easily cause the tracks to bend. Properly aligned tracks are essential for the smooth operation of your door. Specially trained technicians can spot structural damage or problems with safety features such as sensors. They can also give you an estimate to repair the door so that you can weigh up the cost of garage door repairs with a replacement garage door.
However, if your garage door has only suffered minor damage such as dents or scratches, you may be able to repair this yourself by repainting your garage door.
Contact Your Insurance Company
Documenting the incident and any damage you find makes it easier to file a report with your insurance company. Contact your insurance company as soon as possible following the incident to see if you are covered under your homeowner’s insurance.
If you have had a professional technician assess the damage, you’ll then be able to weigh up whether to make a claim or to pay for the damages yourself.
Preventing Future Accidents
It is easy to become distracted and accidentally hit your garage door, especially with children or pets around. Always make sure that your garage door is fully open before driving in or out and be aware of any obstacles. Never rely on your vehicle’s reversing camera or sensors to make you aware of hazards. Teach children they should never put their hands near the garage door while there is movement and keep pets inside the home when a vehicle is moving.
Garage door maintenance is important to ensure it operates smoothly when opening and closing, and you should also know how to operate the door if there is an emergency. Regularly replace the batteries in your remote control, use the manufacturer’s instructions to locate your emergency release cord and know what to do if there is ever a power outage.
Call a Garage Door Repair Specialist
Driving into your garage door can be frustrating, but it’s not the end of the world. To ensure your garage door system is safe and will continue working optimally, visually inspect it yourself and call a garage door technician if it is damaged. Professional repairs ensure that nothing will go wrong with your door in the future due to your moment of inattention.
With more than 45 years of experience, Steel-Line knows garage doors better than most. Our fast and efficient garage door repair service ensures that your garage door can be safely used for many years to come. We can service, repair or replace your parts quickly, so you can forget your accident ever happened.
For high-quality garage door repairs, call Steel-Line today.