Garage door panels can easily be broken or bent, but according to The Door Company (TDC), California’s leading garage door company, that doesn’t necessarily mean the entire garage door needs to be replaced.

“Panels can be damaged by common occurrences such as a kid running their bike into the garage door, or bumping it with the car,” said TDC President Mark Stuenkel. “While it’s a bummer, I tell my customers not to stress out about it. It’s not too difficult to mend or replace a damaged panel.”

TDC specializes in fixing and replacing broken or bent garage panels. Depending on the type and location of the damage the homeowner might have an alternative to replacing panels with a repair. Small dents, rot, rust or holes can usually be repaired without replacing.

“Replacing or repairing garage door panels help the garage door operate properly,” said Stuenkel. “In addition to the ease of getting in and out of your garage, repairing unsightly damage helps preserve the value of the home.”

TDC will help the homeowner find the right replacement panel by identifying the manufacturer and model of your garage door. “If you’ve got an older garage door and you can’t find a company still selling the panels you need, you might need a replacement,” said Stuenkel.

Also a factor is matching — with sun bleaching and weathering even with the exact same color and model sometimes the new panel isn’t an exact match. “Many times the homeowner decides that a fresh coat of paint does the trick,’ said Stuenkel. “Ultimately, if we come to the conclusion that the entire door needs to be replaced, TDC can do that too. We carry a large variety of residential garage doors ranging from entry level steel carriage doors to top-of-the-line trackless and aluminum products.”