It doesn't matter how many times you have pulled your car in and out of your driveway without any mishaps, you can still have that one instance where you accidentally hit your garage door. Maybe you had things on your mind and misjudged the distance, maybe you accidentally stepped on the gas instead of the brake, or maybe you even put the car in the wrong gear. When this happens, you'll want to know what to do next. Here are some things you want to know about how to handle a run-in with your garage door:

Don't assume there is no damage

You don't want to get out of the car, take a quick look at the garage door, and then decide that there isn't any real damage to it simply because you don't see any at first glance. It is possible that there is damage you won't detect until you take a closer look or go to open the door.

You want to make sure the rollers are attached properly and that they are in their tracks. Check to make sure the lifting cables are still properly aligned. You want to look, but don't physically touch anything until you are sure everything checks out. Understand that the springs and cables are held under strong tension that can equate the entire weight of the garage door, so do not attempt to physically inspect them yourself.

Recognize warning signs when opening the garage door

If you have a garage door that opens manually, then you want to carefully lift it and be sure that it maneuvers how it normally does. If it is harder than it usually is for you to lift, makes any squeaking, popping, or thumping sounds, or doesn't move smoothly, then leave it down and have someone come to check it out before you open it again.

If you have an electric garage door, then you can try to open it with the remote or the button, if it works fine, then that's great. However, if it makes any weird noises like crunching sounds, pops, or grinding, or if it operates with any jolts or acts up in any other way, you don't want to try to open it again until you have it looked at.

Be prepared to replace the door if badly damaged

If you know the garage door is badly damaged, or if the repair person tells you this, then this is your chance to upgrade your garage door or to change styles or materials. Therefore, if you feel the door may be seriously damaged, you should start thinking of the type of door you may want to replace it with, unless you decide to stick with an exact replacement of the current one.

To learn more about garage door installation, contact a garage door service in your area.