Question 1

When is a garage door worth repairing instead of replacing?

Accepted Answer

If the door is under about 10 years old and what has failed is a wear part - a spring, a cable, rollers, hinges, a seal or the opener - it is almost always worth repairing. Those parts are designed to be replaced during the life of the door, and replacing one of them costs a small fraction of a new installed door.

Question 2

What is the 50 percent rule for garage doors?

Accepted Answer

If the repair quote comes to more than half the cost of a new installed door, replacing is usually the better spend. Below half, the repair generally wins. In London Ontario a basic insulated steel double car door runs roughly 2,400 to 4,000 dollars installed, so half is around 1,600 dollars.

Question 3

How old is too old for a garage door?

Accepted Answer

Age on its own is never a reason to replace a door. A well maintained door often runs 20 to 30 years. Past about 20 years, money spent on repairs buys less remaining life than it used to, so age becomes a factor that tips a close decision rather than one that decides it.

Question 4

Can one damaged panel be replaced instead of the whole door?

Accepted Answer

Often yes, if the door is young enough that the panel design and colour are still made. On older doors a matching section may no longer be available, and the replacement panel can be obvious. Once several panels are damaged you are buying most of a door anyway, so a full replacement is usually better value.

Question 5

Is a broken spring a reason to replace the garage door?

Accepted Answer

Almost never. A broken torsion spring is the single most common garage door failure and it is a repair, not a replacement. Springs are a wear part with a rated cycle life. Do not attempt the repair yourself - springs store enormous tension and cause serious injuries every year.

Question 6

Does a new garage door pay for itself?

Accepted Answer

Partly. On an attached garage, replacing an uninsulated door with an insulated one cuts heat loss and makes the space usable, and a new door is consistently one of the strongest returns on investment at resale. On a detached garage, insulation buys comfort rather than energy savings.

Repair It, or Replace It?

1What is going on with the door?

2Roughly how old is the door itself?

3Which of these is closest to your door?

4Where is the garage, and is the door insulated?

5If you already have a repair quote, what is it?