Every homeowner has the innate urge to get handy when they learn about the cost of repairing appliances and installations. The zeal to further drive down their costs has contributed to the rise in DIY videos and articles online. However, it is worth noting that not all problems can be fixed DIY, especially when dealing with an installation as sensitive as a garage door. Your garage door can be very sensitive, and any mistake can lead to accidents and injuries. While a residential garage door repair by Titan Garage Doors is generally recommended, below are reasons you shouldn’t attempt DIY garage door fixes.
Safety
Safety is the leading concern when advised not to attempt a DIY garage door repair. This is because your garage door has many moving parts, some of which are more complex than others. The garage door can also be lethal, especially for inexperienced and untrained people.
Fiddling with the wrong garage door parts can lead to direct or indirect injuries. Direct injuries may be from cuts when working within the garage door, broken bones, or other issues arising from the garage door falling on homeowners. Being a heavy installation, garage doors can significantly damage their victim’s health or property.
For safety reasons, it is recommended that you contact a professional and insured garage door technician to inspect, diagnose, and fix your garage door problems.
Titan Garage Doors suggests exploring their website for valuable insights and tips to enhance the performance and longevity of your garage door.
Damage and Quality
Bad things happen to good people all the time. Your intention to fix your garage door may cost you a lot more, especially when you do more damage than the original problem.
Garage doors have complex mechanisms in them. Sometimes, the garage door problem may be elusive and requires a professional to inspect, diagnose, and fix it. But to save costs, you may mistakenly tamper with perfectly fine mechanisms or parts, damage them, and increase the repair cost.
Quality is also an important factor to consider. Even if you’ve read some DIY articles and watched videos online, replacing the damaged part may not be the problem, but the quality of the ordered part may pose a problem. You may end up spending more money when you purchase substandard parts or wrong parts.
Time
Not everybody has the time to spare to walk around their garage door, poking holes and trying to find the problem point. In some cases, homeowners are too busy and would rather have a professional handle the job while they are away and delivering on more productive projects.
On the other hand, some homeowners with time on their hands may find that addressing their garage door problem will take more time than necessary, especially because they are unfamiliar with the problem and how to fix it. You can effectively save time and get the repair done quicker by contacting a professional to handle the job.
Warranties
Warranty is the coverage offered by the manufacturer under the condition that the product is maintained perfectly. One of the conditions required to maintain a warranty is to ensure that only trained and professional technicians fix garage door problems.
Messing around with your garage door after a minor or major fault threatens your warranty coverage and pocket. Breaking your warranty means you may no longer enjoy the coverage and options the manufacturer offers, especially in the event of returns or recurrent damage.
Tools
Garage door problems are occasional. Some households require a repair technician twice a year to fix garage door problems. Considering the frequency of the damages and repairs, it is not economical to purchase a full set of garage door tools.
On average, garage door tools may cost up to thousands of dollars, whereas hiring a repair technician may not cost as much.
Garage Door Tasks You Can DIY
While you’ve been warned against fiddling with your garage door, especially when a problem arises, there are some tasks you can DIY. These tasks you can DIY do not involve the technical aspects of your garage door. They include;
Washing and light maintenance: Homeowners can wash their garage doors to keep them sparkling clean at all times. When washing, ensure to use the appropriate cleaning agent and a squeegee. Also, ensure that the soap surd is wiped off completely with water.
Painting garage door: Painting your garage door is a task you can DIY. Ensure to paint only a small portion at the edge to get a feel of the new color before laying the new paint over the entire door.
If you ever run into a garage door problem, whether an unresponsive door, bent track, snapped springs, or others, contact the nearest garage door repair company for help.