Thinking about a new door? Call now and tell us what the door is doing.
✆ Call 845-535-1141Most doors that seem finished can be repaired, and some that seem fine should be replaced. This page is about the decision and about what replacing an existing door involves. For door styles, materials and insulation in detail, see garage door installation. For an honest opinion on your door, call 845-535-1141.
Repair It or Replace It?
| Situation | Usually | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Broken spring, cable or roller on a sound door | Repair | These are wear parts; the door itself is unaffected |
| One dented or cracked section, model still made | Repair | A single section can be replaced |
| Two or more damaged sections | Compare both | Section costs add up quickly towards a new door |
| Rust through the bottom section and its brackets | Replace | The brackets carry the lift cables; rust there is structural |
| Rotted or delaminating wood door | Replace | Moisture damage spreads and adds weight |
| Discontinued model, no matching sections | Replace | A mismatched section looks wrong and may not seal |
| Uninsulated door on a garage under or beside living space | Consider replacing | Comfort and energy loss, even though the door works |
| Repairs every few months | Replace | Several parts are reaching the end of their life together |
More on the decision: repair or replace your garage door? and how long garage doors last.
What Gets Reused, and What Does Not
- Springs: new. Springs are matched to the weight of the door. A new door needs its own.
- Tracks: new. Tracks are made for the door they come with. Hanging a new door on old tracks causes binding and can void the warranty.
- Cables, drums, rollers and hinges: new, supplied with the door.
- Opener: often reused, if it is in good order, has safety sensors and is strong enough for the new door. A heavier insulated door can be too much for an older, weaker unit.
- Frame and trim: reused if sound. Rotted jambs or a sagging header are repaired first.
Replacement Day, Step by Step
- Measure beforehand: opening width and height, headroom above the door, side room, and depth back into the garage.
- Release the old springs and take the old door down section by section.
- Remove the old tracks and hardware and check the framing.
- Fit the new tracks, sections and hardware, then the springs, wound to suit the door's weight.
- Balance the door, fit the weatherseal and stops, and reconnect or replace the opener.
- Test travel, the safety reverse and the sensors, and show you the manual release.
- Take the old door away.
Choices That Matter Here
- Insulation. If there is a room above or beside the garage, an insulated door makes a noticeable difference in a New York winter, and it is quieter and stiffer as well.
- Steel thickness and finish. Road salt is hard on the bottom section. A well-finished steel door, kept rinsed, lasts far longer.
- Windows. They add daylight; choose insulated glass, and think about what is visible from the street.
- Springs. Ask for higher-cycle springs if the garage is the door your household uses most.
- Wind and size. Wide double doors need struts to stay rigid.
Questions to Ask Any Installer
- Are new tracks, springs and hardware included?
- Is removal of the old door included?
- What is the door's insulation value, and the steel gauge?
- Will my existing opener be suitable, and will it be reconnected and tested?
- What do the manufacturer's warranty and the workmanship warranty each cover?
Related Pages
- Garage door installation: styles, materials and insulation
- Residential garage doors
- Opener installation
- Garage door costs in Rockland County
Frequently Asked Questions
Replacement is usually right when several sections are damaged, when rust or rot has reached the bottom section, when matching parts are no longer made, or when repairs are needed every few months. A single failed part on a sound door is a repair.
Often, yes, if it works well, has safety sensors and is strong enough for the new door. It is reconnected and its settings are redone, because the new door's weight and travel differ.
It should not be. Tracks are made to suit the door they are supplied with, and reusing old ones leads to binding and can affect the warranty.
Most single residential doors are replaced in a few hours, and a double door in most of a working day. Framing repairs or a new opener add time.
We answer and send technicians Sunday to Thursday 7 AM to 11 PM, and Friday 7 AM to 1 PM (closed Saturday).
Where and When We Work
We are open Sunday to Thursday 7 AM to 11 PM, and Friday 7 AM to 1 PM (closed Saturday). In Rockland County that includes Monsey, Spring Valley, Suffern, New City, Nanuet and the surrounding communities, and we also serve Orange, Westchester, Putnam, Dutchess, Ulster and Sullivan counties. Call 845-535-1141 to confirm availability for your address.