It’s just an old worn out garage door – how dangerous can it really be? Actually, an old garage door, as mundane as it might appear, could have the potential to cause all sorts of accidents, and even possibly fatalities.
But, what are the dangers of old garage doors, whether side-hinged garage doors or sectional garage doors? And when should you think seriously about getting a repair or investing in a brand new, modern garage door?
Without seeing the garage door or doors in question, it’s hard to say whether you need a repair or a new door, so we’ve put this short list together of the dangerous things that could go wrong with your old ‘past its best’ garage door.
For those who don’t know – the auto-reverse function of your electric garage door is a device that emits a beam of light across the opening of the door. When intercepted by a person or object, this light will set the motor into reverse to prevent the person or object from becoming trapped.
If however, the auto-reverse function of your garage door opening mechanism isn’t working, due to wear and tear or neglect, a child or pet could get trapped and suffer a serious injury (or worse), or at the very least, you might end up damaging your vehicle or another expensive possession.
And this isn’t just about the outside panels weakening, rotting or rusting, and falling apart. This is also about the other components of your garage door, including the springs, tracks, rollers and cables etc., which if they do collapse have the potential to cause minor and/or serious accidents.
So, if you have noticed any significant deterioration of any part of your old garage door, or heard some terrifying noises when operating it, get it checked as soon as possible by a qualified garage door engineer. You may end up needing a new garage door, but it’s a far better option than taking the risk.
The extension springs or torsion springs of your old up and over garage door are vital for its smooth operation, and to help support it once opened. But, over time (especially if they’ve been allowed to corrode), these springs will wear, and every now and then they actually snap.
Other than the expense you’d face when getting a broken tension spring replaced, when it does go, the old door which might weigh around 180kg to 280kg, could potentially fall, injuring you, a child or a pet, or cause significant damage to your vehicle or another possession.
OK, this isn’t another serious danger to life an old garage door poses, but wasting energy via your old garage door, especially if the garage is connected directly to your home, or when there’s a global energy crisis and bills are skyrocketing, could be a serious danger to your bank account.
Modern, high-quality garage doors are now fully insulated and can be integrated with seals all around to help prevent excessive energy wastage. So, if your old garage door is allowing the wind to whistle through, or all the heat to waft out, maybe it's time to get it repaired or replaced.
If you’re looking for a home security garage door or a commercial security garage door, contact Garage Doors Ltd., one of the UK's leading suppliers, installers and repairers of high-quality garage doors, including Hormann garage doors.
