As a homeowner, you have much to think about and often little time to get through everything. It can be easy to get caught up in your to-do lists, phone calls and planning, so much so that you reverse out of your home and accidentally back into your garage door while it’s still opening.
Now you’re either at a standstill or panicking, processing what happened and what to do next. While this situation can be overwhelming, the good thing is you can resolve it quickly and safely, get your door back in working condition and your life back on track.
Table of Contents
- What to Do if You Hit Your Garage Door With Your Car
- Common Issues Caused by Backing Into a Garage Door
- FAQS About Fixing a Damaged Garage Door
- Trust AAA Garage Doors for Quality Repairs and Replacements
What to Do if You Hit Your Garage Door With Your Car
There’s nothing worse than realizing you’ve backed your car into your garage door. It can be a hazardous and frightening situation for you and your passengers. While panicking can be a normal response, you must remain calm and handle the situation as best as possible. To help, here are eight steps to follow if you accidentally run into your garage door with a car:
1. Check on Your Passengers
Whether you have a minor or significant impact on your door, you and your passengers can sustain injuries. Calmly check yourself and your passengers to see if everyone is safe.
2. Put Your Vehicle in Park
Put your car in park and turn it off before exiting. This step is essential, as many people in a panic forget to put their vehicles in park, leading to further accidents.
3. Assess the Damage
Once you safely turn your car off, exit and asses your vehicle and garage door surface for damages. If you run into your garage door from the inside, move it forward to get a better indication of the damage. If the accident occured outside, enter the garage from an alternative door or room to check for dents or markings and avoid potential safety hazards.
4. Avoid Opening Your Garage Door Remotely
Knowing the extent of your door damage can be challenging, and it’s best to avoid opening your garage remotely. This can lead to further system damage.
5. Test the Door’s Manual Operation
If you notice minor dents and scratches on your door, try to operate or open it manually. However, if your garage door is misaligned and off the tracks, avoid moving or operating it manually, as it could collapse.
6. List the Damages
Make a list of visible damages and track misalignment, broken panels and dents to report to your repair company before they give you an estimate. You can also measure the dents and list the material damage to give technicians a better idea of the extent. If your garage door is off the tracks, keep an 8-foot distance until you get someone to repair the damage.
7. Call Your Garage Repair Company
Whether you have minor or significant garage door damage, call your repair company and explain all the faults listed. They’ll inspect your door and ensure it is safe for use and do repairs and replacements if needed. Avoid trying to fix your door on your own before getting a second opinion from a qualified technician. A garage door that is off its tracks can require complex repairs, and attempting to fix it can lead to injury.
8. Decide on Repairs and Replacements
After a professional inspection, you can decide if you need repairs and replacements. If it has minor dents and scratches, get a quote from your repair company to determine what you can afford to fix. Significant damage, like a door replacement, can be more costly and require filing a claim on your homeowners insurance policy. Remember to contact your car insurance company and find out if you are covered for any vehicle damage.
Common Issues Caused by Backing Into a Garage Door
Knowing what to look for if you back your car into your garage door can help determine the severity of the damage. Some common issues caused by running your car into your garage door can include:
- Scratches: You might notice paint and material scratches on the surface of your garage door. These can be minor damages you can remove or touch up with rubbing alcohol, a paint coat or a stain, depending on your garage door material.
- Broken panels: Your bottom door panels might be dented or broken and require repairs depending on the extent of the damage. A replacement might be the best solution if you have two or more damaged panels.
- Misaligned rollers: Excessive impact can cause your garage door to come off track. In this case, you might need to replace your garage door hinges and rollers.
- Misaligned or broken track: If your garage door track is damaged, it requires extensive repairs and replacements, including bending it back into shape or replacing it.
FAQS About Fixing a Damaged Garage Door
Here are some answers to frequently asked questions about garage door damage:
- Can I repair my garage door myself? While some damage can be minor, fixing a garage door can be complex and dangerous, requiring specialized tools and skills.
- How do I tell if I backed into my garage door? Signs you backed into your garage door can include damages like scratches and dents on your car and garage door surface.
- Can you fix a bent garage door? Depending on the extent of the damage, a professional garage door company can repair bent panels and adjust them back into place.
- Will I be covered if I hit a garage door with my car? While insurance companies can cover garage door damage, your coverage can depend on your insurance provider and policy.
- How do you know if your garage door needs a repair? Your local garage door company can inspect the damage and determine if you require repairs or replacements. They can suggest a complete replacement if the impact on your garage door is severe.
- How long does it take to repair a garage door? Garage door repair time can depend on the extent of your damage and the availability of parts required to fix the issues.
Trust AAA Garage Doors for Quality Repairs and Replacements
While backing into your garage door can be overwhelming, with quality garage door services, the repairs and replacements can be quick and convenient. At AAA Garage Door, we have over 25 years of experience helping homeowners like you fix minor and significant garage damage doors efficiently.
We offer quality workmanship and provide honest and reliable garage door repair and replacement solutions. Our qualified technicians pay attention to detail and provide exceptional customer service, helping accurately and quickly get your garage door back in working and safe condition. If you ran into the garage door with your car and need efficient and quality repairs, request an estimate today.
Felipe Pinales
Reviewed By: Felipe Pinales - Felipe is Nebraska’s first IDEA-certified Master Technician. He has been employed by AAA Garage Door for 6+ years, and has had the Master Technician Certification in his sights since he began. Felipe has also passed four written examinations including Residential Installer Certification, Commercial Sectional Door Systems Technician Certification, Commercial Rolling Door Systems Technician Certification, and Rolling Steel Fire Door Technician Certification. Felipe is constantly looking for ways to improve his abilities within our industry. His goal is to become the best garage door technician possible to best assist his customers and fellow co-workers.