Garage doors are made to last up to 30 years, but that doesn’t mean that there aren’t situations where you may need to replace your garage door early.
In fact, there are several situations when it makes financial sense to replace your garage door early. When you consider that the average price to replace a garage door is $1,104, consider skipping the service call and get a new door instead.
But how do you know when a new garage door the right decision?
Keep reading to discover the main signs that you are in need of a new garage door.
1. Sagging Door
A broken garage door isn’t always obvious when you’re using your automatic garage door opener. This is why experts recommend you disconnect the opener and manually open and close your garage door at least once a year.
Your garage door should be fairly easy to open on its own. While opening it manually, stop it about halfway and see if the door remains open as you left it. If the door continues to rise or fall on its own, this means there is something wrong with the tension springs of your door.
Sometimes, this sagging effect can be visible even without manually opening the door.
2. Rotting or Damaged Materials
If your garage is made of wood, the whole door could start to rot over time if it wasn’t properly treated. A rotting wooden door can be a serious safety issue as the door may collapse or stop working altogether.
But, wooden doors aren’t the only material that can feature damage. Even garage doors made of metal or other strong materials can get dinged up over time. A serious dent can cause your door to stop working effectively.
3. Extremely Noisy
A noisy garage door isn’t just annoying, but it is usually an indication that something more serious is wrong with your garage door.
Your garage door should make minimal noise when opening and closing and many new garage doors can even function silently. If your garage door makes grinding noises or creaking noises when operating, it means that your garage door is under strain for some reason.
Ignoring these noises and turning up your car radio doesn’t make everything okay. Instead, consider garage door repair or replacement to fix the underlying issue that’s causing the noise.
4. Rising Electricity Bills
If you’ve noticed that your electricity bills are higher than in previous years, your garage door may be at fault.
Garage doors feature energy-efficient measures which can become less effective over time. For example, a new garage door will have insulation, weather strips, and bottom seals. These keep the outside air from coming inside your garage, which in turn keeps your home’s heating and cooling costs down.
While these features can be replaced, they may not be as effective as a new door with new features. In addition, if your garage door is old enough that the energy-efficient measures are no longer effective, other parts of your garage door may need replacing soon as well.
5. No Safety Measures
Garage doors can be extremely dangerous if they’re not working correctly or are too old to feature safety measures. If your door is lacking when it comes to safety, it’s time to replace it to protect your family.
Every door should feature working safety sensors. These sensors are placed on either side of the door, just a few inches off the ground. When these sensors detect motion or an item blocking them, it causes the door to stop opening and reverse its direction.
Without this sensor, the garage door would continue closing, causing it to possibly close on something like a bolting pet or a bike.
6. Repair After Repair
Do you dread leaving or coming home because you’re scared your garage door won’t open? Is your garage door repair company on speed dial because of how often you have to call them? If your repair bills are adding up, it’s probably a good idea to consider garage door replacement instead of just repairing every issue that pops up.
But how do you know when the repairs are too many?
First, figure out how many repair calls you’ve made in the last year. Then, add up the cost of all these calls. Does this total come close to the cost of installing a new door?
If so, consider asking your repair company how much it would cost to completely replace the door. Many garage door companies, like https://www.garagedoor405.com/, offer both repair and replacement services. They’ll be able to provide their professional opinion on whether repairing or replacing is right for your door.
7. Doesn’t Match the Exterior of Your Home
In some cases, your garage door may be working perfectly fine but you may have recently updated the exterior of your home. If your garage door is over 20 years old and looks like it, it could distract from the new siding or paint job you just invested in.
To give the whole exterior of your home a cohesive and new look, replace the garage door to match. Not only will this increase the curb appeal of the home but it will also increase your property value.
On top of that, you won’t have to worry about needing to repair or replace it again anytime soon. Replacing it before it’s mechanically necessary may save you from emergency repairs down the road.
Is It Time for a New Garage Door?
After reading this article, it’s time for you to decide if you need a new garage door.
If one, or several, of these reasons rang a bell in your head, odds are you need a garage door replacement. Don’t wait until your garage door shows every sign of replacement. Investing in a new door and garage door installation will ensure that it’s working as it should and is no longer a source of stress.
Wondering if it’s time to replace other important features in your home? Head to the Large Appliance section of this site to find some answers.
