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Garage Door Panel Damage
in Arlington, TX
Garage door panels take a beating. Cars back into them, hail pounds them, and children on bikes find them. Arlington sits in North Texas where hail storms are common from March through May, and the dents they leave aren't just cosmetic. A badly bent panel pulls on the track, stresses the hinges between sections, and makes the whole door less secure.
Quick Answer
Damaged panels usually come from vehicle impacts or hail. Arlington gets significant hail storms, and a hit from golf-ball-sized hail can dent steel panels badly. A single dented panel can often be swapped out if the rest of the door is in good shape. Call (817) 670-4611 to find out if a panel swap makes sense or if the whole door needs to go.
Telltale Signs
Warning Signs to Watch For
- A section of the door is visibly dented or pushed inward
- The door shakes or rattles more than usual when moving
- Light comes through gaps between panels that weren't there before
- The door makes a popping sound as the damaged panel flexes under tension
- Rust streaks run down from a cracked paint surface on one panel
- The door binds when it reaches the section with the damaged panel
Root Causes
What Causes Garage Door Panel Damage?
Hail Impact Damage
North Texas hail storms regularly produce stones two inches across or larger. Steel panels on most Arlington homes built after 1990 range from 24 to 27 gauge, and a direct hit from large hail leaves deep round dents that can't be pushed back out cleanly. The dent also cracks the paint and lets rust start.
The Fix
Panel Replacement
The technician removes the damaged section and installs a matching panel. If the manufacturer no longer makes that style, a close match in the same gauge steel keeps the door functional and reasonably uniform.
Vehicle Impact
Backing into your own garage door is more common than most people admit. Even a low-speed hit pushes a panel inward and bends the horizontal bar behind it, called a strut. The strut is what keeps the panel rigid under spring tension, and a bent one lets the whole section buckle over time.
The Fix
Panel and Strut Replacement
Both the damaged panel and the bent strut behind it come out. Installing a new strut is just as important as the panel itself, because a missing or bent strut leads to more warping down the road.
Self-Diagnosis
Which Cause Applies to You?
Check the signs you're observing to narrow down the likely root cause before your inspection.
| What You're Seeing | Hail Impact Damage | Vehicle Impact |
|---|---|---|
| Multiple small round dents across one section | ||
| One large dent pushed straight in from a single point | ||
| Horizontal metal bar behind the panel is bent | ||
| Paint cracked open and rust started at dent sites | ||
| Door binds at the damaged section when opening |
Free Inspection
Get a Diagnosis in Arlington
An on-site inspection is the only way to confirm which cause applies to your property. Free, no obligation.
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