Good news! If you’ve hit your garage door with your car, you’re not alone. The garage door hit-and-stun is becoming a reoccurring theme throughout the garage door repair industry. Okay, so maybe that’s not such a good thing.
Whether you were relying on your backup camera and were a little premature in stepping on the gas or you just hadn’t had your morning cup of joe yet, don’t worry. We will tell you exactly what you should do after you’ve made contact.
What to Do About Your Car
Hopefully, you weren't going too fast during the run-in, but if you were, there could be damage to your car. Immediately assess whether any harm was done. It may be helpful to snap a few pictures for future reference. Contact your auto insurer immediately if you find damage, especially if it’s substantial. The sooner you report the incident, the sooner you'll be able to repair your car and get everything back to normal.
What to Do About Your Garage Door
After you’ve addressed the damage to your car, it’s time to check the garage door. Look for visual damage like dents, but don’t be fooled if you can’t see anything wrong. The force of impact could have thrown your door out of alignment. Try to open and close your garage door, but don’t force it up or down if there’s resistance. If it’s difficult to move or seems like it’s not running smoothly, don’t operate or move it. Call a professional to assess the damage and repair your door as needed. Otherwise, you could worsen the problem and put yourself in danger.
Many garage door repair companies offer 24-hour emergency service and will be able to address your problem in a timely manner. The repair may be covered under your homeowner’s policy. For more information on what to do if someone hits your garage door, read our article “My Teenager Ran Into My Garage Door!”
How to Prevent This Problem in the Future
Hitting your garage door was most likely an accident, but there are steps you can take to prevent it from happening again.
Open Your Garage Door Before You Get in Your Car
A simple way to prevent yourself from hitting your garage door is to open it all the way before you even get into your car. Install a garage door opener next to your garage’s interior door (if you don’t already have one) so you can simply press the open button on your way out to your car. By the time you’re in, buckled, and ready to go, your garage door should be safely out of sight.
Check and Double Check
Even if you think the garage door is out of the way, it’s best to double check in your rear-view and side mirrors to make sure it’s all the way up. Get in the habit of checking over your shoulder to see if the garage door is there before you pull out, just as you look over your shoulder to check your blind spot before you change lanes.
Don’t Rely Solely on Your Back-Up Camera
As great as they are, backup cameras have their limitations. If your backup camera is engaged, that means that your car is already in reverse. That leaves a very small window for error and a great big 8’x12’ target for your car. Even if it appears that your garage door is up in your backup camera, the door may not have passed the height of your vehicle. Take the extra second to turn around and check for yourself. Your garage door, car, and wallet will thank you!
If you need garage door repair services in the Des Moines area, call WD Door for an inspection and quote. From evaluating damage and offering advice to repairing or replacing your door, we can do it all.
