I Backed Into My Garage Door — How Do I Fix It?

Accidents happen, and sometimes they involve your garage door. If you’ve just crashed into the garage door with your car and aren’t sure what you need to do to fix it, this guide will get you started.

Common Problems Caused by a Car Crash Into the Garage Door

After you run into your garage with a car, the damage will depend on how fast your car collided with the door. Some typical problems include:

Dented or broken panels: The bottom panels on the door may be damaged, as these sections are the most likely to be hit by a car. You can replace the broken panels or all of them, depending on the severity of the damage.
Off-track rollers: More serious garage door damage can bend the vertical track and misalign the rollers. You may need to replace the garage door hinges and rollers and get the door back on the track.
Damaged track: Misaligned and broken garage doors are dangerous to operate. It’s best to call a professional to replace the track or bend it back into place.

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How to Fix a Garage Door After Backing Into It

Follow these steps if you’ve backed into your garage door.

1. Keep the Garage Door Shut for Now

Damaged garage doors may be too dangerous to operate. It’s best to inspect the door first before trying to open it.

2. Review the Extent of the Damage

Check over your garage door to see the damage. Look at the impact site and the damage on both sides of the door’s surfaces. Your car most likely hit the bottom panels, so pay attention to these areas.

Next, look at the rails, garage opener, rollers, hinges, lifting cables, springs, bottom bracket and other components to see if any hardware got hit. Take note of any damage you see to communicate to your repair technician.

3. Try to Open the Door Manually

If the garage door components are operable, try to open the door without power. Opening it automatically can cause more damage. See if you can open the door on your own without forcing it.

4. Call Your Local Garage Door Repair Company

Start your repair with a professional garage door company. Garage door maintenance can be dangerous to complete on your own, so it’s best left to the experts.

Tell your technician about the damages, dent location and size, and garage door material. They will assess the damage and determine the necessary repairs to get your overhead door working again.

FAQs About Fixing Garage Doors Damaged by a Car

Here are our answers to a few commonly asked questions about garage door repairs.

Does Insurance Cover Hitting the Garage Door?

Your home insurance may cover the costs of your garage door damage. If your car was damaged severely, your car insurance might cover those repairs. Consider your policies’ deductibles to decide if you should open a claim or cover the costs yourself.

How Much Does a Garage Door Repair Cost?

Your garage door repair expenses will depend on the age and condition of your door. Older garage doors with severe damage will cost more to fix than newer overhead doors with minor dents, for example. The type of repair needed will also affect your cost. For instance, replacing a few rollers will likely cost less than replacing all the door panels.

Will I Need to Replace the Entire Overhead Door?

You may need to replace your entire overhead door depending on the repairs and labor costs. It might be more cost-effective to get a new garage door than to repair your current door.

American Overhead Doors, Inc. Will Repair Your Damaged Garage Door

After you’ve backed into your garage door and looked everything over, schedule a repair with American Overhead Doors, Inc. Our technicians can repair damage from a car collision, including panel repair, track realignment and door hinge replacement.

Request service from your local garage door expert by reaching out online or calling 860-347-1507.

Dangers of DIY Garage Door Repairs

Many homeowners or business owners use their garage doors several times per day, resulting in a lot of wear and tear. Eventually, your garage door will need some repairs. When you notice your garage door is working incorrectly, you may try to do the repairs yourself. This can be costly, difficult and even dangerous. Your best course of action is to hire a professional to get the job done, keeping you and your loved ones safe from garage door repair dangers.

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Garage Door DIY Dangers

If you’re wondering if you should fix your garage door yourself, we recommend thinking about the possibilities first. Let’s face it — a broken garage door is a huge inconvenience. You may want to grab your toolbox and start tinkering with your garage door to get it up and running, but this could have poor results. Consider the dangers of repairing your garage door yourself to help make a safe and affordable decision:

1. DIY Repairs Can Get Costly

One of the main reasons people try to repair their garage doors themselves is to save some money. Many assume getting a professional to repair their garage door will be costly. You may feel like it’s simply not in the budget, but think again.

When you repair your garage door yourself, you run the risk of making things worse than they already are. Garage doors are complex pieces of equipment containing motors, electronics, hinges, springs, cables and many other components. A simple mistake can lead to more damage, repairs and money spent trying to solve the problem. Over time, this could cost much more money than the cost of hiring a professional.

2. Repairing Your Garage Door Yourself Is Time-Consuming

Time is one of your most valuable resources, and you’re always spending it. Chores and maintenance are a normal part of life for business owners and homeowners, but sometimes, it’s better to leave certain tasks to the people who do them for a living.

Your garage door repair may seem simple at first, but it could easily turn into a whole afternoon of work. An afternoon repair could turn into a whole-day project, then a weekend project. Soon, you may find yourself spending several weekends trying to fix an issue that a professional could solve in a couple of hours. Take control of your schedule and let the garage door professionals do the fixing.

3. You Could Damage Your Belongings

If you’re one of the countless homeowners or business owners who use their garage for storage, you should think twice before trying to do your own repairs. You may store valuable items in your garage, including the vehicle you use for daily transportation. A mistake in your repair work puts these items at risk.

Improper repairs and installation could result in your garage door falling down, crashing into your car or valuable items. Although this event would be the worst-case scenario, it’s a possibility you should be aware of. You could be out of a garage door and a car, causing you to spend far more money than you planned.

4. Falling From a Ladder Is a Serious Danger

If you try to repair your garage door yourself, you’re going to need a ladder. Whether you need a small boost or you have to climb several feet high, using a ladder could be dangerous. Ladder use puts you at risk of falling and sustaining serious injuries and even death.

Each year, ladders account for 500,000 injuries and 300 deaths. While you can use safe ladder practices to reduce the risk of an unfortunate situation, you may be better off staying on the ground and letting a trained professional go up to repair your garage door. A simple misstep can have disastrous results. You can remove this possibility by hiring a professional instead.

5. Garage Door Springs Are Complicated and Dangerous to Repair

Garage door torsion springs allow your garage door to open and close with ease. Without these springs, garage doors would feel heavier, and your garage door opener would have to work harder to function. These springs have a limited life span, and they’ll eventually need replacement if you want to keep using your garage door.

Is it dangerous to replace garage door springs? Ask any garage door professional, and they’ll tell you to always leave spring work to people who know what they’re doing. These springs are under a lot of tension, and a simple mistake can unleash this potential energy on you. You could suffer serious injuries or even death. If you think something is wrong with your garage door springs, keep a safe distance and call a professional right away.

Safe Garage Door Repair Solutions

Though many fixes should be left the pros, you can still troubleshoot some garage door repair solutions. As a homeowner or business owner, you can improve your garage door’s functioning by doing the following:

Test your garage door’s safety features to make sure they’re working.
Keep the photo eye sensors at the base of your garage door aligned and cleaned.
Lubricate the moving components of your garage door on a regular basis.
Inspect your garage door and listen for unusual sounds during operation.

These activities can go a long way in preserving the life of your garage door. As you become more familiar with your garage door, you’ll have an easier time detecting any malfunctions. Then, you can call a professional for repairs before the problems get worse.

Should I Hire a Garage Door Repair Professional?

When you hire a garage door repair professional, you can enjoy the following benefits:

Faster repairs: Professionals know what they’re doing, reducing the length of time needed to make the repairs.
Lower costs: When you hire a professional, you’ll get the repair you need the first time and avoid mistakes that could lead to extra costs.
Increased security: Keep your car and possessions safe with a functioning garage door. You’ll enjoy peace of mind knowing your garage door will keep you safe and protected.
Safety: It’s dangerous to perform garage door repairs yourself. Let the trained professionals handle your repairs so you can stay safe and healthy.

Contact American Overhead Doors, Inc. for Professional Garage Door Repair Services

Invest in your safety and well-being by letting the professionals at American Overhead Doors handle your garage door repair needs. Whether you need residential garage door work or a commercial garage door fix, our repair and maintenance services will get the job done. We’ve been in business since 1987, so you can trust our expertise and years of experience for your garage door needs.

My Garage Door Is Frozen Shut

You’re heading out on a cold morning, bundled up and prepared to go. But when you try to leave, you realize your garage door is frozen shut. Or perhaps you arrive at your business, ready to work. But when you try to open the garage, the door doesn’t move. If your garage door gets stuck when it’s cold or you want to prevent a frozen garage door, you need this guide.

Your garage door is a main entry point to your home or business, so you need it to function year-round. Learn more about how to get a frozen door open and prevent this problem in the future.

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What to Do If My Garage Door Is Frozen Shut

If you try to open your garage door but it won’t budge, don’t try to push the automatic opener button again. Doing so risks damaging the door or the system, creating a dangerous situation.

The first thing you should do if it’s cold and your garage door won’t operate is check that your garage door is frozen to the ground. You don’t want to go through all the steps of unsticking your door if there’s really an issue with the opener. If you see ice built up under the weather seal, continue with these steps:

Remove and chip away ice: Grab an ice scraper and move to the outside of your garage. Chip the ice away, being careful not to hit the weatherstripping seal along the bottom. Remove as much as you can and sweep it away from the door.
Loosen your door away from the frozen seal: With the excess ice removed between the door and the ground, try to lift the door manually. Don’t force the door open if it doesn’t move easily. Instead, go back and try to chip away more ice or follow the next step.
Apply heat to the frozen area: Set a blow-dryer or heat gun to a low temperature and direct it at the remaining areas of ice buildup. If you have a heater in your garage, you can turn that on near the door, keeping the heat low, to help melt the ice. You can attempt to chip away the remaining ice once it’s somewhat melted.

During these steps, try not to use too much force. Disengage the automatic opener and try to lift the door manually. That will avoid putting strain on the opener system. You could also consider using hot water to help melt the ice, but note that if temperatures are extremely low and you use a lot of water, it could create more ice later on.

If you have ice melt or rock salt, you could throw it down for a solution that will take longer but won’t involve as much effort on your part. Once the ice melts, you need to clean away the salt to prevent corroding the material at the bottom of your garage door.

As for how to close a frozen garage door, you may need to check the panels and other components to make sure nothing is frozen there. Use a hair dryer or heat gun on a low setting to melt the ice away from these areas and close your garage door. You could also contact American Overhead Doors for services to avoid causing any damage to your garage door or opener system.

How to Prevent My Garage Door From Freezing Shut

Preventing a frozen garage door can save you the hassle and time required to unstick it. If you know cold weather and freezing conditions are on the way, take some steps to help maintain your garage’s functionality, especially when your garage door freezes to the ground often:

1. Clear Water, Ice and Snow Early

Whether you just unstuck your garage door or you’re checking it before cold weather, clear any ice, snow and water from the floor. The sooner you catch these concerns, the easier it can be to maintain your door. If the garage door can operate, keep it open as you scrape, sweep or shovel the ice and snow away.

If the temperature hasn’t dropped yet but the garage floor is wet, open the door and dry the area. Use dry towels and mops to pick up the water or a wet vacuum if there are any puddles.

Clearing ice and snow away also involves keeping your driveway clear. Your vehicle or anyone walking into the garage can track in snow, and snow close to the garage door can end up underneath it. That could eventually create a garage door that’s frozen shut.

2. Keep up With Maintenance

Preventative garage door maintenance is essential to maintain the door itself and the opener system. While you should take care of your door throughout the year, it’s essential in the winter for preventing a frozen garage door. Keep up with maintenance with these steps:

Lubricate the seal at the bottom of the door.
Lubricate other components, like rollers, springs and hinges.
Look for moisture buildup.
Check for damaged or worn components.

If you notice any problems with the garage door opener components, contact a professional for repairs and maintenance assistance. An opener is a delicate system with parts under great tension, and trying to maintain those yourself could create a dangerous situation.

3. Open and Close the Door Periodically

Operating your garage door can help it from freezing. As the garage door moves, thin layers of ice that started to build up can more easily break away. That can make it simpler to clear away ice later, and it could prevent your garage door from freezing shut.

If you’re able, manually opening and closing the door is ideal. You don’t want to risk damaging the opener system by automatically opening it if the door is stuck. With your door in the closed position, pull the release cord. That disengages the opener and lets you lift and close the garage door manually. When you’re done, pull the cord toward the door and reengage the opener.

4. Layer Sand or Salt Where the Door Touches the Ground

Throw salt down where the garage door touches the ground to prevent ice from forming in the first place. A light sprinkling of sand or rock salt is sufficient, so avoid spreading too much. That could impact the weatherstripping at the bottom of the door.

Once the weather warms up, make sure you sweep away leftover salt or sand and clean the components at the bottom edge of the garage door. This helps to avoid causing damage while trying to prevent your garage door from freezing to the ground.

5. Avoid Warming Your Car in the Garage

Running your car in a closed garage is dangerous because it releases carbon monoxide. Even with the door open to let the hazardous gas out, your car can melt ice and snow on the garage floor, creating puddles of water under the door. Unless your garage is heated, those puddles will refreeze once you leave and shut the door.

6. Install a Garage Heater

A garage heater can keep your garage warm and comfortable, making it more suitable to store your items year-round. A heated garage can also prevent your door from freezing as the floor is warmer and prevents ice from building up. It’ll also keep the door warmer to prevent sticking throughout the panels. Buy an insulated garage door to help your garage heater stay efficient.

Contact American Overhead Doors for Garage Door Services

If your garage door sticks in cold weather, seek help from the experts at American Overhead Doors. We’ve been proudly offering our services to all of Connecticut for decades. Those years of experience and our expert team of trained technicians give you the best residential and commercial garage door services in the state. Whether your garage door gets stuck in winter or you need services other times of year, call on us to help.

Contact us today to schedule garage door services, whether you need replacements, repairs or help with a frozen garage door.

Signs Your Garage Door Needs Repairs

Garage doors are a vital component of every home — they protect our cars and homes while boosting curb appeal. However, despite using garage doors every day, we almost never dedicate any time to examining their condition — unless, of course, something goes wrong. In this article, we’ll discuss some symptoms that commonly indicate when you should have your door repaired. (more…)

I Backed Into My Garage Door — How Do I Fix It?