Your Old Garage Door Could Put Your Family in Danger

Living in a single-family home brings along with it maintenance responsibilities that include being able to recognize that a piece of equipment is no longer serving you well. Your home's garage door may still be working for now, but you should start thinking about replacement when these signs can no longer be ignored.

Old Appearance

If you ever want to leave and sell the property to another person, the appearance of the house's garage door is important. If it seems shoddy and aged, that could affect the offers you receive on your house; you may want to replace the door first.

An old door is also likely to lack features and materials that newer doors have. For example, some old doors don't have weatherstripping attached to the sides and bottom. Some older doors lack sufficient insulation. A new door can cut utility costs and protect the garage space from external conditions.

Deep Dents

Dents don't look beautiful, but you may have gotten used to them. They might not be on your mind when you wonder about a new garage door. However, deep dents could render the door inoperable; as the door rides up the track, it could get stuck in position, depending on a dent's depth and location. Instead of trying to hammer out the dents yourself, it might be a better idea to look at brand new doors.

Incomplete Closure

Another problem you may see is that the door doesn't even hit the bottom of the garage. When the door is open, even just a bit, that's an invitation for bugs, feral cats and other pests to enter. Rainwater is free to come in as well, and the extra cold air in the winter that travels into the garage is unlikely to be welcome. Spring or track trouble could be the reason that the door is unable to close, but it's possible that you'll require a new door.

Constant Repairs

Perhaps the easiest way that you'll know that the door has to go is that you're always paying someone to fix it or are constantly tinkering with it yourself. At some point, it makes more financial sense to stop replacing pieces and parts and just install an entirely new, problem-free door.

Once you understand that your home's garage door should probably be replaced, start pricing them and begin to save. A garage door installation company like Edison Overhead Door can provide more specialized information to help you select the perfect new door.