Your garage door is obviously designed to be as straight as an arrow. Over time, however, all garage doors are susceptible to developing an inward or outward curve to their profile. This bowing effect can leave behind a gap large enough for pests to get through, as well as ice, snow, and chilling winds during the winter and excessive heat during the summer. Bowed garage doors are also more likely to stick when opening or closing.

So, what should you do when your garage door decides to take a bow? The following can help answer that question, plus you'll also get some preventative tips that'll keep your garage door from bowing.

What Causes the Problem

Outside of manufacturer defects, there are plenty of factors that can eventually cause your garage door to develop noticeable bowing:

• Heat – Extreme temperature differences between your garage door's interior and exterior can cause the door to bow towards the hotter side.
• Size – Very large garage doors are also more vulnerable to bowing, plus the damage is often easier to see on larger panels.
• Moisture – Excess moisture can weaken certain types of garage doors, leaving them more likely to bow inward or outward over time.
• Color – Believe it or not, color can also determine the likelihood and severity of the bowing. For instance, garage doors with dark finishes tend to absorb more heat than their lighter-hued counterparts, rendering them more vulnerable to bowing.

How to Fix the Problem

Considering the time and effort required to deal with a bowing garage door, such repairs are best left in the hands of a skilled professional. If it's only the panels that are bowed, your garage door technician will either sand the panel to create a straighter profile or replace the panel entirely. If the door itself is bowed, a complete garage door replacement may be in order.

How to Prevent It from Happening

Frequent maintenance and inspection are the keys to preventing bowing garage doors. The sooner an expert catches the problem, the easier it is to fix. Your garage door technician can also outfit your door with reinforcing struts to add stability and reduce the likelihood of bowing and warping.

If you're not bothered by changing the exterior aesthetics of your home, you should also consider changing the color of your garage door to one that better reflects heat during the summer. Also be wary of any moisture issues, including leaks and poor rainwater drainage, that could contribute to bowing and other garage door problems.

Speak to a garage door repair technician to learn more.