What caused dents?

[Paras555]

Unusual question here. 2 months ago I had a steel garage door installed. After a few weeks the laser beam was not working. I came to realize that when the roller tracks were installed, the bottom one had come loose (stripped bolt) and the track was warping inward to the point of of not lining up with laser on other side. The door itself was warping in as well. About this time, I noticed unusual dents. See attached photos. Wife an I definitely did not hit door causing dents. Kids, I suppose it's possible, but they claim no. Is it possible these dents are caused from the door warping in so much? I had the installer come out and look at it, and he is stating something must have hit door to cause this.

You can see in the pictures, it seems odd that they are all basically the same direction, up and down, same length and width, and are symetrical to each other. Except for the middle part.

So curious if anybody else has had this issue, can could shed some light on if it's possible the warping caused the dents. Or if I'm way off base, and something else must have hit and caused dents. Appreciate any thoughts!

Ken

 

[FANTM58]

It looks like it is collapsing when the door is open. Are the lateral braces installed ?

 

[Old Man Roger]

Someone isn't telling the truth..lol

 

[PassnThru]

That's a tough one.
I would suspect that someone hit it but based on your description it's possible I guess that the bottom rollers were too tight and that's the way it bent.
Only problem is you'll never be able to prove it.

 

[Radix2]

The angular dent is where someone hit the door.

When hit, it was pressed in enough to cause the vertical wrinkles as the door warped.

At least the two new panels will still match since the door is new....

 

[Radix2]

It wasn't a big crash. Just a slow roll/press/push is all it would take.

Look for a car that has a part of the same shape as the dent at one of its corners...

It's pretty tall - pickup? Jeep? What you got around there?

 

[PassnThru]

Normally I would agree that it was a definite hit but how do you explain how the second panel has a dent at the top but not at the bottom? How did he get a crease at the top of the second panel, but not the bottom while the first panel has a crease at the top and the bottom? That's a pretty wide space for a hit and would have required a square hit on the bottom panel while simultaneously hitting the top of the second panel without putting enough pressure on it to crease the bottom also.

 

[Radix2]

Normally I would agree that it was a definite hit but how do you explain how the second panel has a dent at the top but not at the bottom? How did he get a crease at the top of the second panel, but not the bottom while the first panel has a crease at the top and the bottom? That's a pretty wide space for a hit and would have required a square hit on the bottom panel while simultaneously hitting the top of the second panel without putting enough pressure on it to crease the bottom also.

The stress creases will correspond to the stiffness and deflection of each area, it is what it is, evidently the stiffness and deflections aren't as uniform as it would seem they would be.

I also believe that the track damage/twist is due to the pressure that caused these buckles.

Happens all the time.

 

[firebirdparts]

Those dents are just ordinary impact dents.

 

[Rory Bellows]

bicycle

 

[6768rogues]

If you are sure no one hit it, then maybe it buckled under its own weight when raised. Does it have reinforcing ribs inside?

 

[Paras555]

Thanks guys. I thought about a car possibly making contact, but you're right, it's too high for an ordinary car, or even a van. I don't own a vehicle that is high enough that it would make contact with the center dents.

Also, as mentioned, the dents are spread out enough that for something to make contact with those spots as spread out as they are seems odd.

I don't believe the track issue was caused by any pressure on the door as the brace for the track is what was loose, causing the door to warp in. Atleast that's what I'm thinking as the screw holding the bracket was stripped loose.

If the door bowed in in the middle, would creases like shown form? Again, seems odd to me how uniform and symetrical they are to caused from something hitting the door. (either as 1 hit, or multiple hits with a small object).

 

[Radix2]

Thanks guys. I thought about a car possibly making contact, but you're right, it's too high for an ordinary car, or even a van. I don't own a vehicle that is high enough that it would make contact with the center dents.

Also, as mentioned, the dents are spread out enough that for something to make contact with those spots as spread out as they are seems odd.

I don't believe the track issue was caused by any pressure on the door as the brace for the track is what was loose, causing the door to warp in. Atleast that's what I'm thinking as the screw holding the bracket was stripped loose.

If the door bowed in in the middle, would creases like shown form? Again, seems odd to me how uniform and symetrical they are to caused from something hitting the door. (either as 1 hit, or multiple hits with a small object).

Yes, those are exactly the creases you get when you bend a door in- the panels are strong where the metal is formed for the insets, so it is expected that it will crease where the insets stop and the metal is weak and flat between the insets. You also expect the creases to start at the corners of the insets where there is a stress riser.

The broken track part is by the floor, where the sensor mounts - correct? A track problem down there will not cause any big forces on a door. The door is in more danger when it is open and the tracks are holding it horizontal which is when it is weak to bending.

Pull back and take a picture - any reason for a delivery vehicle to back up to turn around near the door? Kid falling against the door on a bike ( handlebar make the dent)

I assume this is a simple single sided steel door?

 

[The Cobbler]

I'm in the "got hit" camp too

 

[Radix2]

Here is someone else's dented garage door .. looks familiar

 

[sreeb]

The center one is from the hit (may have been pressured with no clear collision). The others are a result of the door panels starting to fold as a result of the hit.

Assuming those are 15" panels, the hit was 15"-20" off the ground. That isn't too high. Could be lots of cars, trucks, bicycles....

 

[Chaz]

Someone hit the door..................

 

[RPH]

Any damage evident on the inside?

 

[Hot Rod Grampa]

I do not believe you could create enough pressure from faulty track location to cause that damage. The panel is 21" tall on a 7' high door. Assuming it is 16' wide, it would take very little pressure to dent that door if it was hit from the outside. Other possibility was someone hanging on it from the inside when it was open? A neighbor turning around in your driveway? Delivery van? Service truck for furnace? Kids making you tube video crashing bikes into door? Possibilities are endless.

 

[PWC Repair]

I'm in the "Somebody hit the door" club.

 

[The Tool Tyrant]

Flying skateboard?

Something hit it for sure! If it were a structural issue, the 90° bends at the top & bottom of the panels in question would show deformation as it would be impossible to get a structural crease in the face of the panel without damage at the 90° bends.

 

[finn]

It’s a classic “hit and buckle “

 

[Lassen Forge]

Someone hit it causing the angled dent. The up and down dents are from the panels being bowed and giving at their weakest point. If your roller tracks were installed improperly it would not only put force on the door as it rolled up and down (think like an english wheel deforming metal) but put enough stress on the hardware to strip it out.

Have the installer who comes out to replace the panels also check the tracks for alignment and that they're square and parallel to each other. And don't let the 18 speed bicycle rider run into your door again.

 

[Coolabah]

The angular dent is where someone hit the door.

When hit, it was pressed in enough to cause the vertical wrinkles as the door warped.

At least the two new panels will still match since the door is new....

The stress creases will correspond to the stiffness and deflection of each area, it is what it is, evidently the stiffness and deflections aren't as uniform as it would seem they would be.

I also believe that the track damage/twist is due to the pressure that caused these buckles.

Happens all the time.

Those dents are just ordinary impact dents.

Yes, those are exactly the creases you get when you bend a door in- the panels are strong where the metal is formed for the insets, so it is expected that it will crease where the insets stop and the metal is weak and flat between the insets. You also expect the creases to start at the corners of the insets where there is a stress riser.

The broken track part is by the floor, where the sensor mounts - correct? A track problem down there will not cause any big forces on a door. The door is in more danger when it is open and the tracks are holding it horizontal which is when it is weak to bending.

Pull back and take a picture - any reason for a delivery vehicle to back up to turn around near the door? Kid falling against the door on a bike ( handlebar make the dent)

I assume this is a simple single sided steel door?

I'm in the "got hit" camp too

Here is someone else's dented garage door .. looks familiar

The center one is from the hit (may have been pressured with no clear collision). The others are a result of the door panels starting to fold as a result of the hit.

Assuming those are 15" panels, the hit was 15"-20" off the ground. That isn't too high. Could be lots of cars, trucks, bicycles....

Someone hit the door..................

I do not believe you could create enough pressure from faulty track location to cause that damage. The panel is 21" tall on a 7' high door. Assuming it is 16' wide, it would take very little pressure to dent that door if it was hit from the outside. Other possibility was someone hanging on it from the inside when it was open? A neighbor turning around in your driveway? Delivery van? Service truck for furnace? Kids making you tube video crashing bikes into door? Possibilities are endless.

I'm in the "Somebody hit the door" club.

Flying skateboard?

Something hit it for sure! If it were a structural issue, the 90° bends at the top & bottom of the panels in question would show deformation as it would be impossible to get a structural crease in the face of the panel without damage at the 90° bends.

It’s a classic “hit and buckle “

Someone hit it causing the angled dent. The up and down dents are from the panels being bowed and giving at their weakest point. If your roller tracks were installed improperly it would not only put force on the door as it rolled up and down (think like an english wheel deforming metal) but put enough stress on the hardware to strip it out.

Have the installer who comes out to replace the panels also check the tracks for alignment and that they're square and parallel to each other. And don't let the 18 speed bicycle rider run into your door again.

Yep. OP, I agree with all those above , your door was hit , 100% sure. My door was hit by the corner of a "rubber" bumper , door was badly bent as well as horizontal strut other side of door but there was no actual dent that I could see from the bumper , the vertical strut behind took a hit and was bent in where it attaches ( 2nd panel from bottom) - sorry no photos of inside .

 

[Viper98912]

Those pesky drunk birds from Minnesota.

 

[firebirdparts]

If you are sure no one hit it, then maybe it buckled under its own weight when raised. Does it have reinforcing ribs inside?

No, it didn't.

 

[LifeLongWNYer]

Is it possible that something was dropped onto the door, from above, when it was open? Any storage, or anybody in the attic that might have slipped and started to fall, but caught himself?



.

 

[LS6 Tommy]

It looks like it is collapsing when the door is open. Are the lateral braces installed ?

X2. The door is not structurally sound and is bowing down when open. I've seen it before. I'd get the installer back there and maybe suggest a "better" or lighter door.

Tommy

 

[Radix2]

Is it possible that something was dropped onto the door, from above, when it was open? Any storage, or anybody in the attic that might have slipped and started to fall, but caught himself?



.

X2. The door is not structurally sound and is bowing down when open. I've seen it before. I'd get the installer back there and maybe suggest a "better" or lighter door.

Tommy

You guys refuse to see what is clear in the pictures.

The door is not bowed down, it is bowed in - UP when open.

In the center of the bowed in area there is a dent - from the outside in.

The track is loose behind the area that is pushed in and dented.

No question that the door was hit from the outside, pressed in and buckled.

 

[Dzlpete]

The dent that extends to the raised panel is from something hitting it. The other vertical dents could be from the weight of the unsupported door when raised, or more likely a very strong wind gust.
I’m betting a wind gust, the doors should be designed to support their own weight when up without buckling.
Have you had any severe storms?

 

[SALIV8]

My neighbor has those similar dents.

I have personally seen the door out of plumb going up and down. They've had lots of problems with the install. Most recently the door wouldn't go up and was jacked up on one side. They had to drop the door and then I saw the side cables just hanging.

I haven't asked if they hit the door, but based on what I saw, the doors uneven lifting and dropping is the root cause of their issues. First there were small dents in the center, at the edges of the sections, then it got worse and worse.

OP- does your door easily raise and lower, with each section level and rollers not binding?

 

[freudianfloyd]

Kids without a doubt. Or wife.

 

[trashmanssd]

I am with the "It got hit crew". Smaller vertical and angled marks in the middle are from a hit and when it bent it creased at the weakest point those are the symmetrical crease on both panels in the same locations.

 

[trashmanssd]

Crud as my drawing skills ****, and i am on laptop using touchpad.

 

[sberry]

How much downforce is on it?

 

[The Cobbler]

Crud as my drawing skills ****, and i am on laptop using touchpad.

yup. that's my thoughts too.
the door is dented inwards. that won't happen by not being able to support its weight when in the raised position

 

[LS6 Tommy]

The door is not bowed down, it is bowed in - UP when open.

In the center of the bowed in area there is a dent - from the outside in.

I originally posted from my phone and did not see the impact dent. My mistake.

Anyway, you do realize you are contradicting yourself?

If the door is bowed IN from the outside when closed, it is bowed DOWN from the top when open...



Tommy

 

[lakelandcat]

I agree with everyone, it looks like a impact, but I don't think that caused your creases. I think you have two separate prob. It looks like the gap between your first and second panel is real tight, the gap between the second and third looks normal. I also find it strange that the creases are not symmetrical, consistent with a binding prob. The creases are also in the center of the door but to one side of center hanger which would (if its out of square and binding) give you that kind of bend. It would only do it one time because the panels would find a pressure relief. Does the door "Pop" when it gets almost open or closed? The impact dent looks like someone dropped a panel on it. Senerio 2, 2 panels were stacked one on top of the other with a third corner on top in the impact area, installer steps on corner and bends bottom 2. just a thought.

 

[MP&C]

If you have an overhead motor and track, it almost appears as if the track arm release was released, and pushed against the center of the two panels as someone attempt to pull the door down. Hard to get a diagonal crease like that from a motor vehicle

 

[Radix2]

Anyway, you do realize you are contradicting yourself?

If the door is bowed IN from the outside when closed, it is bowed DOWN from the top when open...



Tommy

HAHA ! you are right!