After a hailstorm
Canberra knows hail. On 20 January 2020 stones four to six centimetres across fell for about 15 minutes, from the southern half of Belconnen onward, breaking windows and skylights and damaging thousands of cars. The Insurance Council declared it a catastrophe.
A steel garage door takes that kind of hit on its face. A few shallow dents may only be cosmetic, but a dent across a panel joint or in a roller door curtain may stop the door running cleanly. Photograph the damage on the day, then tell us the job and mention whether an insurer is involved.
Judging a dent or a ripple
The Australian Garage Door Association's inspection guide says a door's surface should be judged from a normal viewing position, at least 2m away in daylight. It also says ripples in a pressed steel panel, called oil-canning, are acceptable where the distortion over any 150mm is no more than 1mm. That guide is written for new doors, but it is a fair way to look at yours.
Springs, cables and a door that drops
If the door bangs, drops suddenly or will not lift, think spring or cable first. Steel-Line says the lift cables carry the full weight of the door and should be free of frayed or broken strands, and only experienced door people should replace them.
B&D says not to try lifting a door back onto its guide rails yourself, because a spring or cable may be broken. Leave it where it is and keep people clear.
Repairs around Canberra
Opener wiring
In the ACT, plugging an opener in is not wiring work, but a new power point is. A licensed electrician does it and sends a test report to you and the Registrar within 14 days.
Before you hire
Access Canberra suggests asking for a certificate of currency for public liability insurance and checking the ABN on the Australian Business Register.
Bushfire seals
If your home was built to a Bushfire Attack Level, the door's seals may be part of that. Ask for like for like seals when they are replaced.
Safe checks before you book
You can
- Photograph dents with something for scale, like a coin or a ruler
- Look at the cables from a distance for frayed strands
- Change the remote battery and try the wall button
Leave to a door specialist
- Panel and curtain replacement after hail
- Springs, cables and anything under tension
- A door that is off its tracks or hangs crooked
What we would do
If hail has damaged the house, put the garage door on the same insurance claim as the roof and windows rather than lodging it later. Ask the door specialist for a written assessment of the damage that you can pass to your insurer.