Impact and Panel Damage Repair

When a Car Meets the Door

It is one of the most common calls in the trade and almost always the same story: reversing out, distracted, the door not quite fully up, or fully down and forgotten.

The good news is that it is usually less bad than it looks.

Dent Versus Crease

This is the distinction that decides everything.

A dent is a dished area where the steel has stretched but the panel is still structurally continuous. Cosmetic, and on many doors it can be left or improved.

A crease is a fold. The steel has folded along a line and that line is now a permanent hinge and a permanent weak point. Creases do not straighten. A creased section gets replaced.

Where the Force Went

Impact energy does not stop at the panel it hit. We check:

• The section struck, and the ones either side of it.
• The track on both sides, since a panel pushed inward drags the rollers and can bow the track.
• The rollers and hinges at the impact point, which take the load directly.
• The jamb and the framing, particularly if the door was closed and the impact was solid.
• The opener rail and bracket, if the door was connected at the time. A hard shove can bend the rail or tear the header bracket loose.

Section Replacement

If the model is still in production, one or two sections can be replaced rather than the whole door, at a fraction of the price. That is why the first thing we do is identify the model from the panel profile and any manufacturer stamp.

If the model is discontinued, no matching section exists. You then choose between a visible mismatch or a full replacement, and on a street-facing door most people replace.

Insurance

Vehicle impact on a garage door is frequently claimable, on the auto policy rather than the home policy. We provide a written assessment and itemised quote listing what was damaged and why, which is what an adjuster wants.

Worth checking your deductible against the repair figure first. Plenty of section repairs come in under it.

In the Meantime

If the door will not close and the garage is open to the street, tell us when you call. We will prioritise the visit or secure the opening.

Call Cldengineers at (562) 955-7810.