Choosing between repairing your existing garage door and replacing it with a brand-new door can be difficult for almost any homeowner. If you find yourself having to make this same choice, then you'll want to ask yourself a few important questions before making your final decision.

How Old Is Your Garage Door?

With proper maintenance, you can squeeze 30 years out of your current garage door. While some garage doors can go the distance, others may falter within a shorter span of time for a variety of reasons. Metal parts can rust while other parts fail due to excess wear or fatigue, making your door more difficult to open as time marches on.

If it's been 15 years since you've last installed your garage door, you may want to consider a replacement shortly. If you've installed your garage door within the past 5 to 10 years, however, you may be better off making repairs to your current door.

How Damaged Is It?

Scrapes, chipped finishes, and dented panels aren't something that you'd normally replace a garage door over. If you have minor to moderate cosmetic damage on your door, then you should have a garage door repair expert make the necessary fixes. In some cases, it may only take a little DIY work to bring your door back to its normal splendor.

Major damage, on the other hand, may require professional intervention and eventual replacement. If you've backed into your garage door and knocked the entire door off its track, for instance, you'll want to leave the replacement process in the hands of a professional.

How Much Will Your Repairs Cost?

Another factor to consider is the cost of your garage door repair relative to the cost of a brand-new garage door. According to HomeAdvisor, a typical garage door could cost anywhere from $200 to $4000 or more, depending on the type, size, the number of doors, and the materials used. It's usually better to replace your garage door out right if the cost of repairing your current door reaches or even exceeds the cost of a newer, similar door.

How Often Is It Being Repaired?

If you've decided to hold onto your garage door for a little longer, keep track of how often it needs repairs. Multiple calls to an experienced garage door specialist can add up to major bucks over the long run. If your specialist makes return visits to deal with yet another problem, then it may be time for a new garage door.

To learn more, contact a company like Georgia Garage Doors Inc.