You need a garage door that is secure and fully operational. A garage door has decorative purposes and provides protection against bad weather and intruders. Damage to your garage door not only affects its appearance, it can also compromise its function and create safety issues. While the damage may seem minor, the impact of the damage may affect the operation of the garage door. So garage door panel repair is imperative to correct the damage as quickly as possible.
The section at the bottom of the garage door, known as the bottom panel, is the most vulnerable part due to its position. Being near the floor means that this section sustains the most brush-ups and has more contact with rainwater and menaces like termites.
When should you replace the bottom garage door panel?
As your garage door ages, its condition will deteriorate due to natural elements and normal wear and tear. There are some cases where damage to your garage door will be sudden like during a severe storm. Family activities like playing hockey are another cause of damage taking place in the driveway that may cause a dent in the garage door.
In many cases, a garage door can be repaired by replacing the damaged panels. We recommend addressing the repairs sooner rather than later to prevent further issues. A damaged door puts additional strain on the entire garage door system.
What tools do I need to repair it?
Many people think they need to hire a professional to repair their bottom garage door panel, but this isn’t true. Garage door panel repair is a simple procedure that you can do yourself. With the right tools, you’ll be able to conduct the necessary repairs quite easily.
To do this, you will need:
- measuring tape
- two hoists
- vise grips
- impact wrench
Steps to replace a bottom garage door panel
Before you begin:
- The first thing you need to do is measure your garage door for its height, width, and depth. The dimensions of your replacement garage door panel should match the current one. Also, make sure that you have the right shape for the replacement.
- Unplug the power cord of your garage door opener before beginning. This is a safety measure you shouldn’t overlook. In addition, detach the opener from the garage door.
- Attach one end of the hoist to the top of the garage door track and the other end to the hinge that is located close to the bottom of the panel.
- There will be a cable that joins the bottom bracket and the vise. Grip it to the drum.
- Check to make sure that the hoist is secure before lifting the garage door to a height of about 4 inches.
- Repeat steps 4 and 5 on the other side of the garage door.
Removing the garage door bottom panel
- You will need something sturdy that measures approximately 2×4 to hold up the garage door as you remove the bottom panels.
- Use your impact wrench to remove hinge bolts attaching the bottom garage door panel to the middle panel. Begin with the outer hinges and work your way towards the middle hinges.
- There may be some bolts that cannot be removed using the vise grip, so you will need to break these off to detach the bottom garage door panel.
Attaching a new bottom garage door panel
- Position the new panel at the bottom of the garage door and use the vise grip to attach both sides of the panel to the tracks.
- It may be necessary to drill the panes to put bottom brackets in it so you can insert bolts on both sides.
- Place the flange nuts and bolts then secure the cable to the bottom bracket.
- Put the rollers in the bottom brackets and the tracks and vise-grip the track to the upper part of the section.
- Once this section of the door has been attached, mount the cable onto the bottom bracket on each side, then slide the roller into the bracket and secure the track with the hoist so the new section does not fall.
- Remove the clamps, vise grips and hoists, ensuring that the hinges are securely attached to the bottom garage door pane.
- Reconnect the opener and turn it back on.
Closing
Garage door panel replacement is easier than many realize. By following these steps, you’ll be able to repair the damage to your garage door with no hassle. But if you need any professional assistance replacing a garage door, our team is happy to help. Fix It Right Garage Doors is your reliable garage door repairman you can always count on.
