5 Tips on How to Fix Garage Door Panels
Whether you’ve noticed it or not, your garage door comprises an array of panels attached. When one of these panels gets damaged, a replacement can be your safest solution. However, not all garage door panels require replacement. Some even run smoothly with a repairing method too.
Your garage door might fail to close or open; blame it on mismanagement, poor weather condition, or maintenance failure. And if there’s a bend in the door, it might result from different factors (including the times you run the car in the door). Even if it’s the slightest bend, it comes with serious consequences. And to fix the bent door, read on and learn the pro tips.
Considering the Garage Door’s Age before Anything Else
Wondering how can garage door panels be repaired? The truth is that there are multiple ways you can restore your garage panel without getting a replacement. The first pro tip is to understand whether you can fix it or not. For this reason, finding out the age of your door gives you a great starting point. As older doors become less functional, they are trickier to get repaired.
The average longevity of garage doors is from 20 to 25 years. Doors older than the given margin will be harder to repair. If the door has been recently installed, your installation professional can take it. But if your garage door is older than 25 years, it’s better to hire a pro and get a replacement.
Unplugging Your Automatic Door Opener Before Anything Else
Before you attempt to repair the garage door, it is essential to ensure that you and your family are safe. For the garages featuring an automatic door opener, ensure that you first unplug it before getting started. You need to confirm that no one opens the door accidentally when you are working inside. Do you have children and pets in your abode? Keep them away from the spot.
Using A Rubber Mallet While Hammering The Dent
If you see a dented door, the first thing to do is hammer it out of the door. For this reason, you would require 2 x 4 wood alongside one rubber mallet. Now, the position of the wood would be over the area where the panel has dented. Use a rubber mallet and tap the wood. This way, you can pop that metal back into the correct position. In a majority of cases, it’s enough to push it into the original position. It will also enhance the appearance of the door.
Repairing The Dent With Aluminum Foil
The heating method is a great way to fix the panel. The heating and cooling of the metal allows returning it to the previous form. Thus, when you have metallic panels, apply heat and let it get cooled in one straight position to get rid of that dent. To achieve this, you will need aluminum foil.
One more significant way of fixing the dent is by using compressed air, aluminum foil alongside a lighter. Although it sounds irrational, it’s a pro tip that works incredibly well for garage doors (especially car garage doors).
You can dent your garage door just like how you dented your car. The first thing is to wash damaged areas with dish soap and water. Allow it to dry, fetch the tools, cut off the required amount of foil, and cover the dent. Use some excess amount of foil so that you hold the foil onto your door.
What is more important is to lay foil against the dent. Move the lighter back and forth for one minute or two. And upon accomplishing the task, the last thing to do is to remove the foil. Finally, spray compressed air on the area. And there you have it.
One quick note:
While doing so, see the dent pops into its correct position. The difference in temperature between compressed air and heated dent makes it return to its initial shape. As you see it, hose it down to finish.
Using Suction Cups
Another tip of repairing your garage door by a DIY method is by using suction cups. Being one of the newer techniques, it has worked tremendously well (as experts suggest). The fact that it works effectively for the more minor dents is no denying. When you have a door made of metal, suction tools work effortlessly.
Going by the professionals’ verdict, these suction tools get placed on the panel’s area with the dent, and the pressure will straighten the damaged segment. Remember that it only works for minor dents as it’s an excellent fix for when the car has hit the door panel. Another perk of this method is it takes just a couple of minutes to get completed.
The Final Words
So, these are five tips that will help you fix the garage door all by yourself. Repairing the door with a DIY method becomes more straightforward than you ever thought. But it depends on the lifespan of your garage door panel. You can anytime replace the panel if you think repairing it would not work. Remember, if you ever need help with repairing, you can always consult a professional garage door repair for the purpose. A competent garage door repair service provider implements expert methodologies to procure the best tools and materials for the panels.
Author’s Bio-
Harold Camaya is a full-time content marketing specialist and a passionate writer who loves to write about creating an aesthetic and ambient living environment for everyone. He focuses on sharing ideas and techniques learned from his experience in a concise manner so that it can be used by everyone to make their surroundings beautiful to live in. Currently, He shares great tips on Best Garage Door & Gate Repair
