Storms in various US states have caused widespread damage and destruction to homes and other buildings over the past few years, making protecting them more important than ever before. If you’re unfortunate enough to have been in the eye of a storm – particularly a hurricane with high winds and torrential rains – and your property was damaged, then there’s a good chance that your garage doors might have met the brunt of it.
Here are a few ways in which you can care for your garage doors in the aftermath of a storm:
Thoroughly inspect what damage has occurred:
You might need to wait until the weather system has moved on before it’s safe to go outside and inspect the damage to your property and garage, but as soon as the coast is clear, take a good look at what might need to be repaired, paying special attention to the following areas:
- Panels
Are there any visible dents, scrapes or other signs of storm damage?
- Tracks and moving parts
Water or even wind damage can affect the tracks and mechanical parts of your garage doors, so check for moisture and rust.
- Insulation
If your garage was flooded and the water was high enough to reach the door in any areas, then you ’ll need to look at your insulation. Wet insulation is essentially ineffective and will need to be replaced if it’s damaged in any way.
- Reach out to your insurance company
Try not to waste any time inspecting the damage to your garage and its doors, and once you’ve made your own assessment, contact your insurance company to discuss making a claim. Determining whether your deductible will be higher than the cost of the damage is what you’ll first need to think about, and a good insurance company should be able to give you non-biased advice and guidance.
- Get your garage doors checked over by a professional
Even if you can’t see any obvious damage to your garage doors, having a general maintenance check performed after a storm makes good sense and can prevent any potential problems from developing further and costing you more money in the long run. Your preferred garage door maintenance professional will check all the moving parts and let you know if anything needs to be replaced or fixed.
- Think about upgrading your garage doors
If you’ve been hit by a storm and need help with assessing the damage or carrying out repairs, then contact a local garage door professional sooner, rather than later, and get your doors in good working order before the next storm hits. Damaged doors may also make it easier for intruders and vandals to enter your property, so fixing any faults quickly, is imperative
If you’ve been hit by a storm and need help with assessing the damage or carrying out repairs, then contact a local garage door professional sooner, rather than later, and get your doors in good working order before the next storm hits. Damaged doors may also make it easier for intruders and vandals to enter your property, so fixing any faults quickly, is imperative.
