# Repair it or replace it?

Source: https://garagedoorscience.com/academy/how-your-garage-door-works/repair-or-replace · part of [How your garage door works, and what to do when it does not](https://garagedoorscience.com/academy/how-your-garage-door-works) · 4 min

You noticed a dent, a crack, or a door that just looks tired. Now you are wondering whether to fix the part or start fresh. Here is how to think it through.

## When one or two sections are damaged

Start with how the door works. Say it opens and closes properly, and the damage is chipped paint, dents, chips or cracks on one or two sections. Amarr, a door maker, says that is a good case for replacing just those sections.

There are two catches. A new section may not match the older ones, because colors fade over time. And on an older door, the type, style or color may have been discontinued, which can make a matching section hard to find.

If more than two panels have serious damage, it is worth thinking about a new door. For a section swap to make sense on cost, the damage to the section and the door has to be small.

## When the door or opener is old

Age matters too. Amarr says a single layer steel door can last around 15 to 20 years, and a triple layer steel door as long as 25 to 30 years. In general, consider a new door after 15 to 30 years, depending on the material. A door you use several times a day wears out faster than one you use less often.

Openers have a clearer line. Genie, an opener maker, says openers made before 1993 should be replaced, not repaired. If your opener is that old, plan on a new one.

One more thing, whichever way you lean. If the trouble is with a spring or a cable, leave it alone. Springs and cables are always a technician's job, so call one and let them take it from there.

The short version: a working door with damage on one or two sections is often a fix. Serious damage on more than two panels, an old door, or a pre-1993 opener points toward replacing.

## Try this

Put in your door's age, the opener's age and what you are seeing, and try [repair or replace](/repair-or-replace). It gives you a call for each part with the sources behind it.

## Go further

- Article: [Repair or replace your garage door? How to decide when you have a quote in hand](https://garagedoorscience.com/blog/when-to-replace-vs-repair-garage-door)
- Article: [How long should a garage door last](https://garagedoorscience.com/blog/how-long-should-a-garage-door-last)

## Sources

- [Garage Door Replacement Panels: When to Repair or Replace](https://blog.amarr.com/garage-door-replacement-panels-when-to-repair-or-replace)
- [Average Lifespan of a Garage Door: Do I Need a New Garage Door?](https://blog.amarr.com/average-lifespan-of-a-garage-door-do-i-need-a-new-garage-door)
- [PRE-1993 OPENERS SHOULD BE REPLACED - NOT REPAIRED](https://www.geniecompany.com/policy-pages/pre-1993-openers)