Your garage door can see a lot of abuse over the years. One way that the door can sustain some damage is by accidentally running into it. This can happen from a novice driver that puts the car into the wrong gear, or a simple miscalculation of the amount of space between your car and the door. Small impacts can cause your garage door to have problems with how it rests on the tracks and also cause difficulty opening. Be sure to do these four things no matter how you hit your garage door.

Perform a Visual inspection

Don't make the mistake of assuming everything is fine after hitting your garage door. Get out of your car immediately and look for damages. Is there a small dent in one of the panels? Be aware that even a small amount of damage is capable of putting additional pressure on the motor or causing damage to the rollers.

Disconnect the Automatic Opener

You should avoid immediately trying to use the automatic door opener, even if the door looks fine. It is a good idea to disconnect the door from the automatic opener right away so that you can perform some tests. Simply pull on the handle that extends from the track, which should disconnect the door from the motor.

Put Some Pressure on Your Door

Gradually put a bit of pressure on the door and see how it reacts. Is the door now rattling instead of moving smoothly? Is the door making a sound that's out of the ordinary? Are casters now slipping off the metal track due to poor alignment? These are all indications that the door must be repaired.

One thing to remember is that these basic tests are only for checking for unknown damage. If your door is clearly damaged with a sizable dent, avoid using the door until you have it repaired.

Mark The Driveway

You can avoid making this mistake again by marking the driveway. You want a way to indicate that you have pulled up as far as possible without hitting the door. You can do this creatively, for example, by installing a hanging flower basket next to your driveway. Start by pulling up as close as you are comfortable to the garage door. Then place the hanging flower basket so it lines up with your side mirror. This will help guide you into proper position so you don't accidentally hit your garage door again.

After you take care of these precautionary steps, you can begin your garage door repair. 

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