For homes that have a garage door, or multiple garage doors, the door is used every day – often multiple times per day. Multiply the average number of daily openings by 365, and that adds up to a lot of openings and closings over the span of just one year. Most people take the operation of their garage doors for granted until something is not working correctly. However, since a garage door is typically the heaviest moving object in a home – one that can cause severe injury or death – it should be inspected on a regular basis.

A garage door does more than keep your vehicle closed away; it protects your investments, provides an extra means of security, helps insulate your home, and provides a closed-in storage area. When you make monthly inspections of your garage door a priority, you can help determine when your door needs to be replaced before it causes significant damage to you, a loved one, or your property.

Knowing what to look for when you are inspecting your garage door is helpful. Below are signs that your garage door needs to be replaced:

Your garage door does not open or close easily.

This should be an obvious sign that your garage door needs to be replaced, but many people tend to ignore this sign because they do not want to replace their entire garage system. However, not wanting something to be true does not make it untrue. An uncooperative garage door puts you, your family, and your belongings at risk. If your garage door does not open or close easily, it is time to fix the problem.

Your garage door makes a lot of noise.

Most garage door systems make some noise while they are operating. However, creaking, straining, clicking, or popping sounds are not normal. Any excessive noise, or any type of new noises, should be addressed.

Parts of your garage door are sagging.

Garage door panels are meant to open in sections, and when they are fully open or fully closed, they should lay flat. Any sagging in your garage door indicates that one or more of your panels are damaged. You can also check the balance of your garage door by disconnecting the opener from the door and opening it manually. When the door is midway between open and close, it should not rise or fall; it should merely hang there in balance. If your garage door will not remain in balance, it needs expert attention.

Your garage door has inconsistent movement.

Garage doors are intended to operate smoothly. If you notice any shaking or inconsistent movement during the garage door operation, it is most certainly due to parts being broken or forced to move unevenly. For safety reasons, it is imperative that you do not park in your garage or use your garage door at all until you have had a professional assess the situation.

Your energy bill keeps increasing. 

A garage door should work as an insulator for your home. If you have an older garage door, it is probably not insulated adequately for today’s standards. If your heating or AC bills are soaring, it is time to check how well your garage door is insulating your home.

At HABPRO Garage Doors, we are the garage door experts. We are an award-winning 5-Star Kudzu rated garage door company that has served North Georgia residents and business owners for over 40 years. We are here to ensure that your garage door is safe, works properly, and protects your loved ones and your home. If you notice any questionable workings of your garage door, please do not ignore it. It could simply be that your garage door needs a tune-up or a repair. Yet, if your garage door needs to be replaced, it is better to be safe than sorry. Please contact us today.