Thanks to the Internet, you can learn how to do pretty much any job yourself — including garage door repair. But here’s the thing: Do you really want to? Garage door blogs and YouTube videos make a lot of this stuff look easier than it really is — especially if you’re not handy with tools. At the very least, the job probably more of a pain than you realize. And it’s possible you could damage your garage door or seriously hurt yourself. Here are 5 reasons why you might want to consider calling a garage door professional for that repair after all.
Experience is Everything
We know you’re the superior fix it guy (or girl) who’s great with tools. But keep in mind a garage door isn’t a leaky toilet or a clogged sink. Garage doors are complicated feats of engineering with lots of intricate parts and counterweights each operating cohesively. Sure, it seems simple but that’s only because it works so well. If you don’t have a deep understanding of the mechanics that cause that door to function, you’re probably better off leaving the repair to someone who does.
Think About Safety
A garage door weighs several hundred pounds. We don’t think about it very much but it’s a serious safety issue. Look at the stats. Every year, hundreds of people are seriously injured trying to repair their doors by themselves. Many of these injuries result from doors that aren’t repaired properly. The job may look fine at first but then comes crashing down unexpectedly. It’s something to consider — especially if you have pets or kids to think about.
Think About What You’d Rather Be Doing
Whoever wrote Murphy’s Law probably repaired garage doors for a living. “Whatever can go wrong, will go wrong,” is the garage door professional’s mantra. This is especially true for homeowners who attempt a DIY repair. You may get it right eventually — but only after hours of frustration and swearing.
Ask yourself what you’d rather be doing? Think about watching the game, reading a book in a hammock, taking the kids to the park. The list is endless. Leave the job to a professional.
DIY Doesn’t Necessarily Save Money
Most people DIY their own garage door repairs to save money. Unfortunately, it often doesn’t work out. Something gets screwed up along the way. They damage critical parts of their garage door that cost even more in repairs. If you don’t know what you are doing, it could actually cost you more in the long run because of what you break in the process.
Liability
You also have to think about our own liability if you repair your door yourself and something ends up breaking as a result. If someone is injured — say a neighbor kid or a delivery person — you could legally be held liable for the injury. Don’t say we didn’t warn you.
You Might Void Your Warranty
This mainly applies to installing your own garage door. You will void the warranty of most new garage doors if you install the system yourself — and for good reason. Installing a garage door requires precise balance and precision. To do the job properly, you need to know what you are doing. You also need highly specialized tools. You might think the door is installed properly only to have it break weeks later. You can cause serious injury to your vehicles or your loved ones, and you can cause serious injury to the door. It’s ironic that people attempt to install their own garage doors in order to save money, but then cause highly expensive damage to their door due to a botched installation job. A garage door is an investment. Get the most for your investment by having it installed properly by a professional garage door repair company.