Hail damage to garage doors: what to check after a storm

South Dakota hail risk

The Black Hills region sits near the eastern edge of Tornado Alley and sees multiple significant hail events per year, typically between May and September. Golf ball–sized hail (1.75") is not unusual in strong convective storms, and Rapid City has seen baseball-sized hail during severe events.

Garage doors are one of the largest exposed surfaces on most homes — and they take hail head-on since they face the driveway. A door that looks intact can still have structural damage that affects long-term operation.

Post-storm inspection checklist

Walk through this after any storm that produced hail larger than a quarter (1"):

1. Panel condition

• Look for dents across the panels. Run your hand along the surface — minor dents are often easier to feel than see.
• Check whether any dents are deep enough to distort the panel's flat profile. A panel that bows outward or inward can catch on the track as the door moves.
• Look for cracked or shattered panel sections — older fiberglass doors and thin aluminum doors can fracture rather than dent.

2. Bottom seal

• Inspect the rubber seal along the bottom edge for tears, cracks, or sections that separated from the panel.
• A damaged seal lets water, cold air, and pests in. It's inexpensive to replace and should be done before the next freeze.

3. Side and top weatherstripping

• Check the foam or rubber strips along the door frame sides and top. Strong storm winds that accompany hail can loosen or tear these.

4. Hardware and tracks

• Hail doesn't usually hit tracks directly, but severe wind shear that accompanies large hail events can stress the track mounting brackets. Look for brackets that are bent or pulled away from the wall.
• Check roller brackets for bends or cracks.

5. Sensors

• Test the door's auto-reverse after a storm. Set a 2x4 flat on the ground in the door's path and close it — it should reverse immediately on contact. If it doesn't, the sensors may have shifted.
• Check both sensor lights: solid LEDs mean aligned; blinking means misaligned or dirty lens.

6. Opener function

• Run the door through a full open-close cycle and listen for new grinding, scraping, or catching sounds that weren't there before the storm.
• If the door starts and stops mid-travel, the force limits may need readjustment due to added resistance from a deformed panel.

Cosmetic vs. structural damage

Cosmetic (monitor, but not urgent): Surface dents that don't distort panel shape, minor scratches in the finish, small chips in paint or galvanizing.

Structural (should be assessed): Dents that bow the panel inward or outward, cracked panel sections, bent track brackets, damaged bottom seal before winter, any sensor or opener behavior change after the storm.

Insurance documentation

Before any repairs, document everything with photos — close-ups of each dented panel, hardware damage, and seal condition. Date-stamp the photos. If you're filing an insurance claim, get a written repair estimate and keep all receipts. Most homeowner policies cover hail damage to the dwelling structure, including the garage door.