Have you ever come home to find your garage door dented or damaged from an impact? As a homeowner, dealing with the hassle and cost of garage door repairs is frustrating. Unfortunately, garage doors are prone to damage from heavy objects like basketballs, trash cans, and kids’ toys. The good news is there are a few things you can do to help prevent damage to your garage door. By taking some simple precautions, you can avoid unwanted dings, dents, and even larger impacts that require professional repair or replacement.
The Dangers of Heavy Object Impacts on Your Garage Door
The Dangers of Heavy Object Impacts on Your Garage Door
Your garage door faces some serious risks with the potential impacts from heavy objects like basketballs, soccer balls, and trash cans. These impacts can cause dents, cracks, and damage to the panels and mechanisms of your door, compromising both function and appearance.
To prevent damage, you’ll want to take a few precautions. Start by educating family members about being careful around the garage door. Explain that hard impacts can cause expensive damage. You should also consider parking vehicles, sports equipment, trash cans and any other heavy objects a safe distance away from the door.
If damage does occur from an accidental impact, it’s best to have it inspected right away. Small dents or cracks may seem harmless, but they can quickly spread and worsen, becoming a safety hazard. It’s also a good idea to have a professional tune up your garage door mechanisms regularly to ensure all parts are properly balanced and securely installed. This helps prevent excess vibration that could worsen damage from impacts.
You should never try to repair damage from heavy impacts yourself. Garage doors contain dangerous springs and mechanisms best left to the professionals. We offer affordable same-day service calls for damage inspection and emergency repairs. It’s not worth risking injury to save a few bucks!
Protect your investment and call us today for a free on-site damage assessment and quote for professional repairs. We service MOJA GARAGE DOORS in the Sacramento and San Francisco areas. Let our experienced technicians get your garage door back in safe working order so you can stop worrying about those stray basketballs and trash cans!
To prevent damage to your garage door from heavy impacts, there are a few things you’ll want to keep in mind.
First, inspect your garage door regularly. Look for any dents, cracks or other signs of damage and repair or replace parts as needed. It’s much easier to fix small issues before they become big problems.
You’ll also want to lubricate your garage door hardware, including the tracks, rollers, hinges and springs. This helps your door open and close smoothly, reducing strain on the components. Use a spray-on lubricant designed for garage doors once a month or so.
Adjust the Opener Sensitivity
If your garage door opener is too sensitive, it could continue closing even if there’s an obstacle in the way. Adjust the sensitivity so the door will stop and reverse if there’s any resistance. This prevents the door from slamming into heavy objects.
Install Safety Sensors
Safety sensors detect obstructions and signal the opener to stop and reverse the door. If your opener doesn’t have safety sensors, install a set to prevent impacts. Place the sensors about 6 inches above the floor on either side of the door.
Reinforce the Door
You can strengthen your garage door by reinforcing the panels. Install additional bracing across the inside of the door or apply weatherstripping tape to the outside. For lightweight doors, you may need to install a more durable steel or aluminum door to withstand heavy blows.
By following these garage door maintenance tips, you can help prevent damage from heavy objects and ensure safe, long-lasting operation. If you have any questions or need repairs or upgrades done by professionals, contact MOJA GARAGE DOORS for a free onsite inspection and quote today at (916) 975-0705.
What to Do if Your Garage Door Is Hit by a Vehicle
If your garage door is hit by a vehicle, act quickly to prevent further damage. As soon as it’s safe, inspect the door for any visible damage or bending. Even if the damage appears minor, it’s best to call a professional to assess the door’s structure and hardware. Garage doors are under a lot of tension, and any impact can compromise their strength and balancing.
Once you’ve ensured everyone’s safety, call a professional garage door company right away. Explain that your door was hit by a vehicle so they understand the urgency and can dispatch a technician promptly. It’s not worth the risk to continue using a door that may be unstable or off its track. A professional can properly assess the damage, make necessary repairs or adjustments, and confirm it’s safe for continued use.
Avoid Using the Door
Do not open or close the garage door, even if it appears undamaged. The impact could have knocked the door out of alignment or bent critical parts like the tracks, rollers, hinges or torsion springs. Using an improperly functioning door could lead to further damage or injury. Wait for a professional technician to check the door before operating it.
Inspect for Visible Damage
Once help has arrived, work with the technician to fully inspect your garage door. Look for dents, bends or tears in the panels. Check that the tracks and hardware are still properly secured and aligned. Test that the door opens and closes smoothly without catching or grinding. The technician can then make repairs or adjustments as needed to get your door working safely again.
With prompt action and professional help, damage to your garage door from an impact can often be minimized. But never take risks when it comes to this critical safety equipment for your home. When in doubt, keep the door closed and call the experts. Your garage door is not worth compromising over.
Protecting Your Garage Door From Sports Equipment Impacts
Protecting your garage door from sports equipment and other heavy impacts is important to prevent costly damage. As a homeowner, there are a few steps you can take to protect your garage door.
Install padding
One of the most effective ways to prevent impact damage is to install padding on your garage door. Foam, rubber, or vinyl padding can help absorb the energy from impacts and prevent dents. You can purchase garage door padding kits that are easy to install, or have a professional handle the installation for you. Padding also helps muffle noise from impacts.
Reinforce the door panels
For additional impact protection, you can reinforce the panels of your garage door with steel braces or plates. The reinforcement panels absorb and distribute the energy from impacts across a larger area of the door to prevent damage. Reinforcement may require professional installation to ensure it’s securely attached to your existing door panels.
Educate family members
Educate family members, especially kids, about being careful around the garage door. Explain that hard impacts can cause damage, and kids should avoid throwing balls or other objects at or near the garage door. Install padding and take other precautions, but education and awareness can also help prevent accidental damage from impacts.
Consider a more durable door
If your existing garage door sustains frequent damage from impacts, it may make sense to invest in a more durable replacement door that can better withstand impacts. Doors made of heavier gauge steel, aluminum, fiberglass or composite materials tend to hold up better to impacts compared to lighter gauge steel doors. Talk to your garage door pro about the most durable and impact-resistant options for your needs.
By following these tips, you can take proactive steps to protect your garage door from damage due to sports equipment impacts and help ensure it continues functioning properly for years to come. For professional garage door services in Sacramento, contact Moja Garage Doors today!
To prevent damage to your garage door from heavy impacts, it’s important to take some precautions. As a homeowner, making sure your garage door is properly maintained and reinforced can help avoid costly repairs down the line.
First, inspect your garage door regularly for any signs of dents, dings or damage. The sooner you catch any issues, the easier they are to fix. Even small dents can weaken the structure of your door over time and make it more prone to damage from heavier blows.
You’ll also want to ensure your garage door is properly balanced and opening/closing smoothly. An unbalanced or stuck door requires more force to operate, which can lead to impacts when trying to quickly close or open the door. Have a professional garage door technician test and adjust the balance, springs and hardware of your door to keep it in good working order.
Consider reinforcing your garage door with additional bracing or struts. Braces help distribute the weight and impact across the door, making it less likely to become dented or damaged. Steel struts or bars can be installed vertically and horizontally across the back of the door panels.
You may also want to install impact-resistant garage door panels, especially the bottom panel. Foam core or double steel panels are more durable and help absorb shock from collisions. While more expensive, they can save you money in the long run.
To protect your investment, call Moja Garage Doors in Sacramento for professional garage door repair, maintenance and reinforcement services. Our team of experts can inspect your door, make necessary adjustments or repairs, and recommend additional impact-resistance upgrades tailored to your needs. We service residential and commercial garage doors in the greater Sacramento area.
For a free estimate or more information, contact Moja Garage Doors at (916) 975-0705. We’re here to help keep your garage door in working order and prevent unwanted damage.
Conclusion
So there you have it, a few easy tips to help prevent damage to your garage door from heavy impacts and keep it running smoothly for years to come. Don’t wait until you have a damaged panel or bent track to take action. Give the pros at Moja Garage Doors a call today for an affordable quote on a garage door tune-up or upgrade. Their expert technicians service the greater Sacramento area and San Francisco, providing quality repairs, maintenance, and brand new door installations to suit any style or budget. Keep that garage door in tip-top shape and avoid costly repairs down the road. Your vehicle, tools, and everything else inside your garage will thank you.
