Most residential garage doors have panels; they aren’t one piece. Many things can damage these panels, especially from the outside. A damaged garage door panel reduces the curb appeal and overall value of a home. MassGarage lists common causes of exterior garage door panel damage.
Age
Over time garage door panels will look damaged simply because they are old. They suffer from wear and tear just as other exterior portions of a home does. A garage door needs to be maintained regularly, including lubricating the moving parts. The older a door gets, the rougher it will ride on the track and this can warp metal or split wood panels. Old wood doors can also fall prey to termites.
Impacts
Impact damage doesn’t just have to be your teen who hit the door because he was texting while driving; it can also be rocks, hail, sleet, sports balls or whatever else is thrown your garage door’s way. In fact, panels can even be damaged by animals if they hit the door hard enough. Metal doors are susceptible to dents from impact damage and wooden doors could dent, split, or even end up with a hole in them.
Sun
The sun beats down on the garage door in the summer just as sleet beats down on the door in the winter. Sun damage is more visual. It fades your paint and makes the door look tired and old. This said, sun can also dry out wooden garage doors and warp metal ones if it’s hot enough. We don’t necessarily need to worry about that in Sharon, MA, but if your door is in direct sunlight all day it will take its toll.
Weather
We’ve briefly touched upon how weather can damage the exterior of your garage door above so let’s dive into this a little deeper. High winds are one of the most serious weather conditions for a garage door. They carry debris that can easily damage a garage door upon impact. Think about how weather affects your home’s exterior and then multiply that by two at least for your garage door.
For example, hail on your roof is going to make a ton of noise but it won’t likely damage it unless the hailstones are huge. Hail blown against your garage door will damage it, however. As mentioned above, the hailstones can dent a door if large enough and even smaller ones will pit the door. Weather beats up on your home’s exterior and your garage door is no exception.
If you have a damaged garage door panel or an entire door, call MassGarage in Sharon, MA, at 781-602-0737.