Most residential garage doors are made of four or five horizontal sections joined by hinges. In Oklahoma City, those sections take hits from hail, wind and the occasional car bumper. Sometimes one section can be swapped out. Sometimes the whole door is the better fix.
How panels get damaged in OKC
Hail.
Severe hail is one of the city's regular hazards. Thin single-layer steel dents easily, and a bad storm can mark every section.
Straight-line wind and derechos.
Strong wind can push a closed door inward, bowing or creasing a section, especially on wide double doors without bracing.
Ice and cold.
A door that is frozen to the ground and run anyway can bend the bottom section as the opener pulls.
Impact.
Cars, bikes and balls.
An off-track door.
When rollers leave the track, sections twist and can crack at the hinges.
After a storm
- 1Do not run the opener if the door is bent or binding.
- 2Take photos of the whole door, close-ups of dents, and the inside of any bent section, before anything is repaired.
- 3Contact your homeowner's insurer if you plan to claim.
- 4Call us. Ask the technician to note what is damaged and what is needed in the estimate.
When one section can be replaced
A single section is worth pricing when:
- Damage is limited to one or two sections.
- The make, model, size and color are known and still made.
- The springs, tracks and other sections are sound.
The maker's label is usually on the inside of the door. A photo of it helps the technician check availability.
When a new door makes more sense
- Hail has dented most or all of the sections.
- No matching panels are available.
- The door is old, thin and uninsulated.
- A new panel would not match the faded color of the rest.
See new garage doors in Oklahoma City for what to look for, including thicker steel for hail and wind-rated options.
Cosmetic dents or structural damage?
Small round hail dents on the face of a panel are mostly cosmetic. A crease running across a section, a crack near a hinge, or a bend at the top section is structural. It can make the door bind, stress the opener and springs, and get worse every time the door moves. If the door shudders or sticks at the damaged section, stop using it.
Reducing future damage
- Close the door before severe storms, so wind cannot catch it part way open.
- Ask about a reinforcing strut on the top section, or a bracing kit for a wide door.
- When you replace the door, consider thicker steel and an insulated, multi-layer build.
- On icy mornings, free the bottom seal before running the opener.
Cost
We have not found a published national figure for single panel replacement that we would stand behind, so we do not list one. Ask for a written price covering the panel, labor and any painting. General repair figures are on the OKC cost guide.
Common questions
Does homeowner's insurance cover hail damage to a garage door?
That depends on your policy and deductible. Take photos before any repair and ask your insurer. A detailed estimate from the technician helps.
Can I replace just the dented panel?
Often, if the same model and color are still made and the rest of the door is sound. If most sections are dented, a full new door may be similar in cost.
Is a dented garage door dangerous?
Small dents usually are not. Creases, cracks or a bent top section can make the door bind and strain the opener and springs. Stop using it if it sticks.
Other services
Spring Repair
Broken torsion and extension springs replaced and the door balanced for a smooth lift.
Opener Repair
Openers that hum, reverse or quit after a storm, and new openers with battery backup.
New Garage Doors
Replacement doors and new installs, including insulated and wind-rated doors for Oklahoma storms.