Homeownership involves a complex and evolving blend of maintenance responsibility, updates and remodeling that all contribute to overall home value. One of the unsung heroes of home value is the humble garage door. Its purpose is simple: open and close to let vehicles and people in and out. But in the big picture, a garage door is a significant and important investment. In fact, if you installed a new, $2,000 garage door in a $200,000 home; the home’s value jumps nearly $8,000!

That’s great news but home ownership stars don’t always align. Garage doors wear out or get damaged and at some point you will need to decide to make repairs or replace the entire door. Garage doors are critical components of today’s homes and keeping them in top condition is important to ensure overall integrity and performance.

To repair or not to repair?

Your DIY skills come in handy with projects all around the house and you may be well prepared to make repairs on your garage door. But remember that any missteps will likely cause other parts of the door to fail, leaving you with more trouble and cost than you bargained for. Garage doors are a complicated lot, with a mix of powerful motors, complex electrical systems, and many moving parts. Some of these parts are also very dangerous and while it’s tempting to tackle repairs on your own; be aware of the consequences. Let’s look at some common areas of garage door parts repair:

The door stopped working

If your door suddenly stops working, it is usually an isolated and fixable problem. Check the remote’s batteries first. Yes, it sounds silly but dead batteries are often the culprit.

The door is very heavy

A garage door’s springs assist in carrying the weight of the door and damaged or worn springs can cause the door to feel heavy because they aren’t bearing as much weight as they did in the past. Spring repair or replacement is generally straightforward but should be completed by a pro.

Damaged panels

If your door has one or two damaged panels, they can typically be replaced with a factory panel. Keep in mind, however, that if ignored, a damaged panel will only get worse.

The motor quit working

If you push the remote button and nothing happens, the motor itself might have failed. Check connections and replace if needed. For more information on cold weather’s effect on garage doors, contact the team at DB Garage Doors at (503) 553-9933 or dbgaragedoors.com.