Broken garage door/insurance question

[scott spencer]

Hi folks - I got a rude greeting after dinner tonight. My garage door is all boogered up. It appears that something from a storage shelf got twisted in one of the cable pulleys and knocked the cable off the pulley, which in turn skewed the whole door in the tracks. One side of the track is all bent up, and two roller guides are damaged. The cable broke while trying to get the thing straightened up. It's looking like an all day job plus some new parts to fix this thing, and even then I don't know what I'm up against.

Does anyone know if homeowner's insurance covers this sort of thing?

[Don Baer]

Scott,
Be very careful if it is a roll up door. Those tensioning springs can be hazardous and need special tools to tension/detension. I just replaced mine a few months back an decided to let the pros do it. I could have replace the door no problem but that big ole spring made me a lot more cautous.

[Matt Meiser]

My bosses wife backed into their garage door a couple weeks ago and they had to replace the whole thing for $1200. Their insurance agent told them the premium increase from filing the claim would be more than the $700 they would get after their deductable over the next couple years.

[Michael Perata]

Insurance companies do not like to handle small claims - it cost them too much relative to the size of the claims. :confused:

In California, filing a claim like that may get your insurance non-renewed, or sometimes, cancelled. :( I would ask a bunch of questions before I submitted the claim to your insurance co.

[Jim Becker]

Not usually a claim unless it was damage by someone else and you couldn't catch them and make them pay. (And then your deductable would apply...) Your nickle. And do heed the warning about the springs...they can be nasty! 'Could be a good opportunity to upgrade the door... ;)

[Jerry Olexa]

Just ordered new wooden garage doors a few weeks ago and insurance is paying for them+ installation. In my case, it was due to a hail storm. Different scenario.

[Joe Mioux]

Scott: it sounds like you have springs. repairs on garage doors are not horrible, unless you have to replace the whole door.


If you have to replace the door, you might consider going with a torsion spring over the door. Which in my opinion is not a do it yourself install though. If something goes wrong you could lose/damage some fingers.

[scott spencer]

Just ordered new wooden garage doors a few weeks ago and insurance is paying for them+ installation. In my case, it was due to a hail storm. Different scenario. ...What was the date and time of that hail storm? ;) :D

Thanks folks.....looks I may get to part with some more money this summer. :rolleyes:
...graduation, roof, massive car repairs, garage door....no problem...we ate last week! :eek:

[Russ Filtz]

Actually I have heard people have been KILLED by garage door springs! :eek:

[Wes Bischel]

Last year I replaced both of the springs on one of our doors (one broke). These are the coil springs on the cables - which also have safety cables running through them to prevent launching them. With the door up, there wasn't much tension on them, if any IIRC. (I wouldn't work on a torsion spring unit for safety reasons)
It was easy, but as mentioned a pain in the rear mainly because I hadn't planned on spending time repairing the garage door. :mad:
Anyhow, I was able to pick up the parts at the borg and it took an hour or so to complete the springs. They also stocked the rollers with the mounts, but I'm not sure about the track.

Good luck Scott, either way you go.

Wes

[Tyler Howell]

Check your pricing first.

After ordering 2 new panels and some parts, I could have had a new door installed for a few bucks more. Wasn't worth the exciting adventure this time.:o

[scott spencer]

When I requested some time off from work, my boss mentioned that the box springs can hurt you, but the torsion springs can "kill" you. I was kind of surprised and at a loss for words, then said, "I'll call someone to fix it but might still need to leave early". Precision Door came and did a great job. My attempts to fix it actually did more harm than good, but after hearing more about the torsion springs, I'm really glad I quit while I did. Thanks to all....I would have just spent that money on food or utilities or some other useless cause...;)

Now on to my car window motor replacement :eek: ...thank God it's only in the low nineties today... :(