When Your Garage Door Suffers Storm or Hail Damage
Storms can cause serious wind and hail damage to your home, and your garage door is not immune. Hail can cause both minor cosmetic damage and major structural damage. If you have any kind of hail damage, repairs can be quite expensive. But your homeowner’s insurance may cover most of your garage door repairs. Here is a look at what types of damage hail causes and what you need to know to get your garage door repairs covered by insurance.
Cosmetic Damage vs. Structural Damage
Dents are mostly cosmetic damage. Depending on what type of materials your garage door is made of, cosmetic damage may be harder to repair. This is especially true for garage doors that are insulated with layers of foam and metal. Some dents can indicate structural damage. Look for large and small dents near the hinges, the garage door handle, lock, and other hardware. If the door won’t open with your remote or keypad, your garage door may be in danger of collapsing. You’ll want to call a garage door repair contractor right away.
Getting Your Garage Door Repair Covered by Insurance
As with all insurance claims, make sure you get an estimate from a qualified professional when searching for garage repair in long beach. Take pictures of the damage to your garage door as soon as you notice the damage. Even if it is not easily visible, a time-stamped photo is good documentation when you need to make an insurance claim. If you notice additional damage over time, be sure to take more pictures so you can explain to your insurance adjuster how your garage door has worsened since the original incident.
Takeaways: Hail-Damaged Garage Doors
Remember these important points when deciding if your hail-damaged garage door needs major or minor repairs:
1. Hail damage to your garage door may not be visible.
2. Not all cosmetic damage on your garage door will be repairable.
3. Even small dents can signal major structural damage.
If your garage door has been damaged by hail, get it fixed sooner rather than later. Make sure to test to see if it’s working properly, take pictures, and get estimates from your garage door repair contractor. Finally, don’t hesitate to contact your insurance company. You can save yourself hundreds or thousands in out-of-pocket repair costs.