Single Panel Repair or Replace Entire Door?
A good garage door should last about 15 – 30 years. But even with a quality garage door, you may find yourself with problems. Damage or a dent may have you needing a garage panel repair well before you think you need to replace the garage door.
But can you get a single panel fixed or will you still have to get the entire garage door replaced?
This is a common question we get at Cheney Door Company. Having installed and repaired garage doors in the greater Wichita area for half a century, we’ve run across every type of garage door issue you can imagine.
What Can Damage a Single Panel
A garage door panel can suffer a small dent or be damaged in ways that still leave the door to function properly. A door section can be damaged when it’s accidentally backed into with a car.
And since we are in Kansas, there are a lot of ways mother nature can wreak havoc on our garage doors. Strong winds, hail, and debris hitting up against a garage door can leave behind a lot of dents and scratches. While the damage may be minor, it still probably doesn’t look good.
4 Situations When It’s Better to Replace the Whole Garage Door
- EXTENSIVE DAMAGE
While it may seem obvious that the panel of a garage is damaged, you may have more issues that you can’t see. Sometimes, whatever caused the panel damage also damaged other parts of your garage door system. And that damage may not be noticeable by the naked eye. - FADED OR DISCOLORED GARAGE DOOR
Another issue to be aware of is getting a perfect match. Over time, your garage door may have weathered. Depending on the material, it may have noticeably changed from how it looks when it was first installed.
Getting a panel to match a door that has been fading, rusting, or peeling may be difficult or not impossible. One way to counter this issue for some garage doors is to have them repainted to ensure the newly repaired garage door has one consistent look. - OLDER GARAGE DOOR
How old is your garage door? One consideration about whether you should replace it completely or repair only a panel is its age. If your overhead door is at least 15 years old, it may be on its last legs.
A garage door typically lasts between 15 and 30 years, so replacing only a panel may end up costing you more in the long run. If you may have to replace your entire garage door in a few years, you should consider doing that now instead of only a single panel. - MULTIPLE PANELS NEED TO BE REPLACED
Is more than one panel damaged? While you can have a couple panels repaired or replaced, it may not be cost effective. Contact Cheney Door Company for a free quote on the work you need on your garage door, and we can help you understand the expected costs and benefits for your repair and replacement options.
Can I Do the Garage Door Panel Repair Myself?
Replacing a single garage door panel is not typically something a homeowner should do themselves. The work is more than just removing the old one and putting in a new panel. These panels are connected to the entire garage door system. Panels are under tension from the garage door spring, which can cause serious injury if you don’t know what you are doing.
Kansas’ Garage Door Repair Experts
If you have an older garage door, you will be better off replacing it with a new garage door. Even after fixing it, an older system may require more repairs over time. Our experienced technicians can determine whether your garage door still has many more good years of operation.
If you need any help repairing your garage door, contact Cheney Door Company. We can provide maintenance and repairs on any garage door, even if we were not the ones who installed it. Call Cheney at (316) 262-2098.
Common Garage Door Problems
Garage doors can sometimes face problems that keep it from working as well as it should. With 50 years of experience repairing and installing garage doors in south-central Kansas, Cheney Door Company has the team of experts on whatever overhead door problem you are having.
Get help with some of our troubleshooting guides on our Garage Door FAQ page:
Solving the Problem of a Slow Garage Door
You’re rushing out of the house and are stopped by a slow garage door. Is your garage door opening slow? Or are you just in a rush? Well, the answer could be both.
Over time, garage doors can face different problems, and slowing down how quickly it opens is one such issue you may encounter.
The local garage experts at Cheney Door Company don’t just install garage doors, we fix them. We have run across every problem a garage door can have. When a garage door isn’t opening as fast as it once did, there are several possible reasons why.
Is Your Garage Door Actually Slow?
First, let’s deal with the question of whether your garage door is opening too slowly.
The average home overhead door typically opens (or closes) in about 15 seconds, although longer for oversized garage doors. You can use a timer to see how long it takes to open once you hit the garage door opener button.
If your overhead door is significantly slower than normal, it’s time to get it fixed. Even if you feel you can live with it, you shouldn’t. This likely means some issues need to be addressed. If left ignored, you could find yourself with a bigger problem, perhaps a garage door that doesn’t open at all.
3 Reasons Why a Garage Door Opens Slowly
#1. YOUR GARAGE DOOR IS OLD
A garage door doesn’t last forever. They can typically be expected to operate well for up to 20 years. Proper maintenance and tune-ups can help your garage door live a full life.
A low-quality garage door or one that wasn’t installed properly might not last as long. Severe weather like strong Kansas storms also plays a role in how long your garage door will last.
If your garage door is not moving very quickly because it’s too old, then the solution is to get it replaced. There may be just one part having an issue, such as the torsion spring. Replacing the bad part may completely fix the problem.
Ensure you hire a professional company trained in garage door installation to ensure you have one properly and safely installed. Cheney Door Company has provided garage door installation and repair services to Kansas for 50 years! Call us today for a free estimate.
#2. GARAGE DOOR OPENER SETTING WAS SWITCHED
On many garage door openers, there is a setting for how quickly it opens and closes. Your setting may be on a low speed. You can check your garage door opener manual for instructions on how to adjust the speed yourself.
Or you can contact Cheney Door Company for quick repair service. We provide maintenance and repairs on any garage door, even if we were not the ones who installed it.
#3. LUBRICATION NEEDED ON GARAGE DOOR PARTS
Many moving parts in your garage door system need to be lubricated to work. Proper lubrication allows for your garage door to open and close smoothly. It is one of the primary elements of a well-maintained garage door.
A homeowner can try to lubricate the rollers, tracks, or hinges themselves, but they should be careful in how they do it and what they use. Be sure to use the right kind of lubricant. WD-40 is not meant for garage doors. It can deteriorate the good grease that is needed for your garage door to operate correctly.
Instead, a garage door needs to be lubricated with a silicone or lithium grease spray. When spraying the hinges (except for plastic hinges), be sure to spray it thoroughly. You do not need to spray the tracks, just clean them of dirt and debris with a damp rag.
For regular maintenance on your garage door, schedule a garage door repair with Cheney Door, and we can provide the necessary tune-ups to get your garage door working well and at the proper speed.
To Repair vs. Replace
If you have an older garage door, you may be better off replacing it with a new garage door. Even after fixing it, an older system may require more repairs over time. Our experienced technicians can determine whether your garage door still has many more good years of operation.
If you need any help repairing your garage door, contact Cheney Door Company. In Wichita, call us at (316) 262-2098.
Having Other Garage Door Problems?
Check out our Garage Door Problems FAQ for more helpful guides on other common problems.
And when in doubt, give Cheney a call!
We provide complete garage door service, including repair and installation on garage door openers.
Call on Cheney to Fix Your Garage Door
If you need a quick repair on your garage door, call upon Cheney Door Company.
- In Wichita office, call us at (316) 262-2098.
- For our Salina office, call (785) 820-8366.
- For our Hutchinson office, call (620) 669-9306.
Best Home Remodeling Investment
How New Garage Doors or Windows Nearly Pays for Themselves
If you are like most homeowners, you have a long list of home improvement projects you want to get done. The ideas of how to improve your rooms and spaces can seem never ending. And sometimes, determining which projects to focus on or to prioritize can be difficult.
YOUR HOME IMPROVEMENT ROI
One of the best ways to determine which home improvement project you should take on next is by looking at your home as an investment. You would want to focus first on the work that will bring you the most return on your investment (ROI).
There are a lot of ways a project’s ROI can be calculated. You can consider how much more you will be benefited by some projects more than others. Perhaps it’s a poorly functioning kitchen or an eyesore of a garage door on display for all the neighbors to see. But beyond the level of satisfaction, you could consider each upgrade will bring you, there is one very black-and-white method to calculate a home renovation’s ROI.
Which home improvement project will result in the biggest increase on the value of your home?
Whether you are looking to sell your home soon or not for another decade or two, a homeowner should make sure the home improves its value. What projects will help you best do that? If you spend $20,000 on a kitchen renovation but that only increases your home’s value by $10,000, then you will only get 50% of the money you spent.
Very rarely will you ever get 100% back of the money you spent on an upgrade. But it sometimes does happen. According to a new survey, one of the cheapest home renovation projects you can do is estimated to net you back nearly every penny you spent on it.
That one home project is getting a new garage door. Keep reading to see how much of a good investment this is.
The EVER-CHANGING Real Estate Market
You have probably heard stories of how much certain projects will improve the value of your home. But what was a great investment for resale 12 years ago (or even 5 years ago) is not the same as it is today. Trends and homebuyer expectations are constantly changing.
Advice you heard on a rerun of an HGTV show to add on a bedroom or get a new deck may have been true ten years ago, but not today. So, if getting work done that increases your home’s value is important, you want to be sure you are making decisions based on current market information.
What is important to the value of your home in 2022? The answer might surprise you. We have broken down information from Remodeling Magazine’s 2020 Cost vs Value report to show you the best 6 home renovations for the highest financial return on investment. Do any of the house projects on your list make this list?
More than 20 popular home improvement projects were factored into this list. These fare much better than a lot of other home improvement projects. Renovations that were once top ROI options like getting a new bathroom addition on or doing a major kitchen remodel, won’t likely result in even getting a 40% return on the money you spend this year.
GARAGE DOOR: A BIGGER & QUICKER RETURN ON INVESTMENT
As you can see by the above list, not only is a garage door replacement one that pays off, it’s also just about the cheapest listed renovation you can do. But there is even more reason why it’s a smart investment to make on your home.
Ask any real estate agent about remodeling projects and they’ll add another reason why getting a new garage door is ideal for someone looking to sell their home right now. This upgrade won’t just likely raise the amount you’ll be offered, but it will increase how much quicker those bids will come in.
We cannot underestimate how important curb appeal is in selling a home. Many buyers will show up to see a house and be so turned off by the exterior that they won’t even get out of their vehicle. You can’t sell a home if people are too turned off by the outside to be willing to see the inside.
Best Time to Get a Garage Door Installation
Many people who have done upgrades on a home they are preparing to sell have experienced a similar kind of regret. They regretted waiting so long to get the work done. While the renovations did make their home sell for more money (and probably more quickly), they didn’t get to enjoy the upgrades of their home while living in it themselves.
Whether it was the beauty and functionality of a new garage door or the convenience of an additional bathroom, getting the home improvement project your house needs before you’re ready to sell it means you will actually get to enjoy it.
A Cheney Garage Door you get installed today will still be looking great and working perfectly for decades to come. In fact, potential house buyers can be rest assured that you had a door installed by the proven and trusted Kansas company who are experts at installing commercial and residential garage doors. We have been installing garage doors in Kansas for 50 years!
WICHITA HOME BUYING TRENDS
Getting a new garage door for your home isn’t just a national trend. When it comes to making a smart investment for your home, upgrading your garage door is one of the best things you can do in the Wichita real estate market and across Kansas.
Cheney Door Company provides professional garage door installation here in Wichita. We also have a location in Salina and one in Hutchinson. We can bring you a variety of options to find the perfect garage door to fit your home, and one that will be the envy of the neighborhood. Scroll through our various types of window styles, textures, and colors to start imaging how your home could look.
You can visit our showrooms at any of our three locations. We can walk you through the various options you have for a beautiful new garage door. We provide a custom consultation to your needs and will give you a free estimate for your new garage door and professional installation.
Give us a call in Wichita at (316) 262-2098. In Hutchinson call (620) 669-9306 and in Salina call (785) 820-8366.
UNIQUE HOME UPGRADES
While this list included the biggest projects that can increase the value of a home, there are a lot of smaller home improvements that can really improve your living space and your home’s value. Cheney Door Company provides a variety of smart home solutions that make life easier. Take a look at the variety of other projects you can consider for your home:
When you’re ready to see how a new garage door, new windows or dozens of other renovation projects could improve your home, give Cheney Door Company a call. In Wichita, call (316) 262-2098. In Hutchinson call (620) 669-9306, and in Salina call (785) 820-8366.
How to Fix a Squeaky Garage Door
Are you disturbing the neighborhood every time you open your garage door? If your garage door makes a loud noise when opening, you may have a relatively minor problem, but an annoying one, nonetheless.
The local garage experts at Cheney Door Company have run across every problem a garage door can have. When a garage door isn’t opening quietly anymore, there are several potential causes of the problem. While we can be called out to fix any issue you are having, we want to give you some of the most common reasons behind a loud garage door. Also, there are several troubleshooting steps a homeowner can take on their own to try to get a garage door quiet again.
First, let’s take a look at – or rather, a listen to – what sound your garage door is making. Different sounds can indicate different problems.
Grinding or Squeaky Garage Door
A squeaky garage door is often a lubrication problem. If you hear a grinding noise or squeaking sounds, that could mean the rollers in your garage door system are worn out or are not lubricated enough.
TROUBLESHOOTING STEP:
You can see if the problem is simply a lubrication issue by applying a lithium-based lubricant or silicone-based grease to lubricate the rollers.
If that doesn’t fix the loud noise, it could mean the rollers are worn out. You’ll need to call a professional repair technician to get that handled.
Popping Noise
If the loud sound you hear when opening your garage door is popping, that’s a good sign that the problem is with your torsion spring. Although, that’s a rather bad problem to have. While the fix may be quick, the torsion spring is a hazardous component to your garage door system and can cause serious injury if not handled correctly.
The torsion spring is located above the garage door after you have closed it. This is different than the extension springs, which are by the tracks on the sides of the door.
For this reason, you should always call in a professional to handle any issue with your torsion spring. If you hear your garage door popping, contact us at Cheney Door to request service for a quick repair.
Garage Door is Rattling
A rattling garage door is one that probably has something – or several somethings – loose. Nuts, bolts, or screws could have gotten loose and so are causing the rattling sound when your garage door is opening or closing.
TROUBLESHOOTING STEP:
Look for loose bolts or nuts and try tightening them with a wrench and socket set. Make sure you don’t overtighten, or you could strip the crew holes. And remember, leave that torsion spring alone.
SAFETY WARNING
Whenever you are doing garage door repair work, you want to be sure there is no chance for another person to operate the garage door. You could be injured by someone trying to open or close it while you’re handling repairs. Disconnect your garage door opener to make sure no one can try to open the door while you are working on it.
Fixing a Noisy Garage Door
If your garage makes a loud noise when opening or run into any other problems, count on Cheney Door Company to provide repairs and complete door service, even if we didn’t install it. We can often get a problem fixed and have your garage door working well – and quietly – quickly. If it is a problem with your garage door opener, we can fix those issues or install a new garage door opener.
Repair or Replace?
If you have a garage door over 15-20 years old, you may find that you will be better served by replacing your new garage door. While this problem of a loud or squeaky garage door may be easy to fix, an older system may require more repairs over the coming years. Our skilled technicians can walk you through your options, costs, and benefits to how a modern garage door can improve your home’s beauty, safety, and energy efficiency.
Call on Cheney to Quiet Your Squeaky Garage Door
If you need any help repairing your garage door opener, contact Cheney Door Company. In Wichita, call us at (316) 262-2098. We are available for 24/7 emergency service.
- For our Salina office, call (785) 820-8366.
- For our Hutchinson office, call (620) 669-9306.
4 Reasons for an Overhead Door Opening and Closing On Its Own
You may feel like you’re going crazy. You are SURE you closed the garage door when you left, but you come home, and it’s open! You can’t imagine how that could have possibly happened.
Or perhaps you heard it happen. You are home and hear that familiar sound of your garage door opening, but there is no one around who could be opening it.
Is your garage haunted? Do you have a possessed garage door?!
Probably not. While our team here at Cheney Door Company are not experts in paranormal activity, we do know a thing or two about garage doors (after all, we’ve been installing them in Kansas for 50 years). There are several common reasons that can cause a garage door to open by itself.
Eliminate the Obvious
If you are reading this, then you’ve probably already eliminated the most likely suspects. And by suspects, we mean the other people in your home with access to your garage door.
- Did your spouse come home for lunch and forget to close it?
- Did your kid go out through the garage and left it up?
- Did someone put their remote somewhere that caused them to hit the button accidentally? Perhaps they put the remote in their pocket, in a purse, or on a car seat that gets covered in clutter. Unlike accidentally hitting the car alarm button on your key fob, accidentally hitting the garage door opener may go unnoticed at the time. You may need to do some sleuthing work to ensure no one with a remote isn’t just the real cause behind your possessed garage door.
There is another common problem that you should make sure to eliminate. Is this an issue with your door reversing?
To find out, do this check for a few days. When you shut and open your door, watch until it completely opens or closes and ensure it stays that way. If it reverses directly right upon (or just before or after) completely opening or closing, there are different reasons why that could be happening.
When you are sure that all the people who could be operating your garage door are not behind this mystery, these are the four things you should check.
We’ll go over the top 4 reasons behind your spooky garage door. We will also list the troubleshooting steps to resolve each of the possible problems. There are many easy enough for just about any homeowner to do on their own. Other types of repairs should be left to a garage door repair professional. Cheney Door Company is here to provide repair service for any garage door (even if we didn’t install it).
4 Causes & Fixes for a Possessed Garage Door
Reason #1: An issue with your remote, wall control or keypad
The batteries may be dying. Change the batteries and see if that fixes the problem. This is the easiest and quickest step, but not just that. A lot of the following steps won’t work without it.
Your remote control may have an LED light on it. If so, you will see that the battery is dead just because the light is out.
One (or more) of the devices may be old or malfunctioning. You can try to replace that device to resolve the door opening and closing by itself.
Reason #2: A wiring problem
There is a decent amount of wiring in your garage door system. Wires run between the motor unit, the door, and the safety sensors. A short circuit somewhere along your system can cause the door to open or close on its own.
Something as small as a mouse chewing on any exposed wires is enough to cause this sort of problem. Another reason why this happens is when wires are continually rubbing against nails or other things that cause damage over time.
If you suspect this is your problem, call for professional repair.
Reason #3: Electrical circuits have gone haywire
This situation can happen from power outages or power surges. Also, weather events can cause this, like some of the many powerful storms that run through Kansas every year.
You will want to request service from a professional garage door repair company to fix this.
Reason #4: Mischievous Neighbors (whether they mean to or not)
Was your garage door installed before 1993? If so, your neighbors could be the real cause of your possessed garage door! If they are, they probably are doing it entirely by accident.
These older garage doors use a signal easily reproduced (or already exists) with other garage door remotes. Your neighbor’s code could be the same as yours! In addition, other items could also be transmitting the same frequency, including appliances, computers, motion detectors, wireless doorbells, and wi-fi networks.
To fix it, you can try changing your opener’s code or frequency. This is relatively easy for a homeowner to do themselves in an hour or two, especially if they have the instruction manual.
Or, you may want to consider updating your garage door opener to a modern one that will increase your home security and provide you with a more functioning and reliable system.
Don’t Delay Fixing a Phantom Garage Door
Having a garage door that opens on its own isn’t just annoying. It’s a security problem.
In America, a home burglary happens every 18 seconds. And what surprises many is the majority of these burglaries occur between 10 am and 3 pm. So being gone all day at work with your garage door open is a big problem. This is the main reason why you do not want to delay getting this problem fixed.
If you have an older garage door, particularly one made before 1993, you should consider getting the frequency code changed. Burglars have used this vulnerability to gain access to homes. By simply using the same frequency code, they can get into homes with these older garage doors.
In addition to having a properly working garage door that doesn’t open on its own at night, you want to be sure all garage door remotes are secure. Take, for example, this Kansas family who had their car stolen from inside their shut garage last winter because the criminals were able to get their hands on a remote device.
If you need any help repairing your garage door opener, contact Cheney Door Company. In Wichita, call us at (316) 262-2098. We are available for 24/7 emergency service.
- For our Salina office, call (785) 820-8366.
- For our Hutchinson office, call (620) 669-9306.