Every homeowner understands that when it comes to property investment, resale value is very important. Therefore, whether you plan to live in your home for decades more or you intend to sell off as soon as possible, it is important that you take steps to increase the value of your property.
There are a lot of things you can do to increase the value of your property, including a slew of home improvement projects that will not only transform the look and feel of your house but will also significantly increase its resale value. One of such projects relates to your garage door.
Fortunately, upgrading or replacing your garage door is a pretty sound investment decision. In fact, according to A1 Garage, garage doors rank among the top home improvement projects with a high return on investment. However, even though a new garage door is a great investment, these things tend to wear out and break down after some time. Either they jam all the time or get damaged by vehicles and, age, or bad weather. Which leave homeowners with the question of whether to replace with a new garage door or repair the old one?
Unfortunately, making the decision to replace or repair is not as easy as one would think, as in some cases; the affected garage door is still fairly new.
So how do you decide between getting a new garage door and replacing the old one?
When you should replace your garage door
If your garage door has not worked for a while
If your garage door developed a problem and you neglected to fix it for a long time, chances are the problems have compounded and will cost you a lot in repairs. In such a situation, it makes a lot more sense to simply buy a new one than to spend the same or almost the same amount of money in repairs as it will cost to buy a replacement.
If your garage door has suffered significant damage
Just as neglecting to repair your garage door for a long time can lead to extensive repairs that will cost a lot, there are also certain types of garage door damage that can cost as much as a new one to repair. For example, if someone drove into your garage door at a high speed, damaging almost every part of the door, replacing it is the only cost-effective option.
Your garage door is old
Your garage door does a lot for the curb appeal of your house than you know which is why it has to be in a good state to impress first-time visitors. While a fresh coat of paint will surely change the look and feel of your garage door, this will only improve its appearance but will not add the necessary modern features every garage door needs.
Modern garage doors come with a lot of safety and security features which makes them difficult to break into and safe for children and pets. If your garage door does not have these features, you should plan to upgrade it.
If your garage door is consuming too much energy
Poor energy efficiency is another reason to buy a new garage door and not repair the old one. Garage doors are big and tend to allow in a lot of air when open. This can affect the energy efficiency of the entire house so that you are always inundated with expensive energy bills.
Modern garage doors, on the other hand, come with energy efficiency features. Built with materials that provide the right R-Value, a new door will reduce heat loss in your home so that your energy bills reduce and you start saving more.
When you should repair your garage door
When your garage door suddenly stops working
If you wake up one morning to find that your garage door has suddenly stopped working, you should first check the batteries in your garage door opener, if that doesn’t fix the problem, get someone to take a look at it as soon as possible. A sudden breakdown is usually something that can easily be fixed, and may not cost you a lot of money and time. But if you leave the garage door unrepaired for too long, the damage may worsen and cost you a lot in extensive repairs.
Your garage door has a small dent
Almost everybody has managed to drive into their garage door at one point or another. This minor accident does not signify the end of your garage door.
A dent or damaged panel is a small problem that can be fixed quickly and cheaper. It does not warrant a garage door replacement. However, if you ignore the damaged panel for too long, the damage can spread so that you are forced to replace the door altogether.
Your garage door opens slowly
If you find it difficult to open or close your garage door, or it feels heavy, it could be that you are struggling with a worn-out spring. This is an issue that a professional can fix quickly and cheaply and does not warrant a replacement door.
Both springs should, however, be changed at the same time so that one does not wear out before the other, causing your garage door to lose balance.
Whatever the problem of your garage door, remember that most repairs should only be done by a trained garage door repairer. If you decide to conduct certain repairs by yourself, you may end up complicating things and damaging your door further.