Garages are an important aspect of many homes. You can use them to protect your vehicle, as personal storage, and for many other purposes. However, to safely access your garage and whatever you keep inside it, you have to pass through a garage door. The more you open and close your garage door, the more it deteriorates until it may need to be repaired or replaced. Hearing a strange noise or realizing the door is not functioning as intended can be a sign that it needs to be checked. Unaware of the risks you expose yourself to, you may be tempted to take a look and try to fix it yourself in order to save a few bucks. Here is why you should avoid DIY garage door repair.
1. Further Damage
If your garage door has an issue and you decide to fix it yourself, you will only be working on the immediate problem. For instance, when the door is not fully opening, you may check to fix the door springs, but there may be a bigger underlying issue. A temporary solution will only give you temporary relief, and as you continue using the faulty door, the core problem will become worse.
By the time you notice the extent of the issue, your door will have incurred more damage. This means you will spend a lot of money to hire a professional to do the repairs anyway. To prevent future inconveniences and the costs of unexpected breakdowns, always call a professional to thoroughly examine the situation and find the root problem instead of doing it yourself.
2. Physical Hazards
Garage doors have many moving parts that are extremely heavy, some weighing up to a few hundred pounds. DIY repairs can put you at risk because the door could accidentally fall on you. The impact of this force unleashed from overhead could result in very serious injury.
The springs designed to lift and keep the doors elevated are also full of tension. If one of the springs were to break and release the stored energy, it would come off at a very high speed. The path would be unpredictable, and it could severely injure you if you were in a vulnerable position. This can result in broken bones, internal bleeding, and other serious trauma. Hiring a professional garage door repair company such as ours at ADS Automatic Door Specialists will ensure the job is done safely.
3. Electrical Hazards
Most modern garage doors have electrical components such as motion sensors and motors. DIY repairs can lead to improper wiring if you don’t have adequate training. This can cause electrical shocks which can be much worse than just unpleasant.
There is also the risk of accidentally starting an electrical fire. For example, you may try to repair a part of the garage door like the opener and end up short-circuiting the system. This could easily cause a fire, putting you and your loved ones in danger. The fire could even spread to the rest of the house, putting your entire residence at risk. It is simply not worth it. Professional garage door repair specialists are trained to handle electrical components safely and reduce the risks of electrical hazards.
4. Unreliable Tools
Garage doors are complicated, and fixing them requires specific tools. If you do not have access to the right tools, you probably cannot resolve the problem correctly. You can try to work around this by buying new equipment, but you will still lack the skills to do the job effectively. Additionally, you will spend more money on buying the tools than you would have by hiring a professional repair expert.
Besides, repairing a garage door requires using a ladder at some point. According to the Home Safety Council, home-related falls cause roughly 6,000 deaths annually. Ladders are responsible for 500,000 injuries and 300 deaths that occur during DIY home repairs. So, before you consider looking for a ladder to do a garage door repair, remember that safety should always be the priority.
5. Voided Warranty
Garage doors often come with a manufacturer’s warranty to cover repair costs if you encounter any major issues. A DIY repair could ruin your chance of having the door fixed without additional costs. Also, the repair will likely go wrong somewhere and you could void your warranty entirely. Therefore, before considering DIY garage door repairs, remember that a warranty is only valid if a professional company like ours at ADS Automatic Door Specialists does the work. Without your warranty, you will have to pay for repair services with your own money.
6. Limited Workforce
A limited workforce means you may not have enough people to help you with DIY garage repairs. With fewer inexperienced people to work with, you may not be able to fix all the issues at hand. This strains the available workers and increases the risk of accidents. Our professional garage door technicians are trained to identify safety concerns and rectify them accordingly. We can install safety sensors and emergency release mechanisms to ensure a safe working environment. We will also follow the rules and safety guidelines to meet the required standards. Therefore, hiring us to do the job will save you time and money.
7. Incomplete Results
Starting a DIY garage door repair project may get you stuck halfway. This can be frustrating and inconvenient, especially if you are unable to find and solve the problem. Incomplete repairs are usually due to a lack of knowledge and understanding of how garage doors work.
Incomplete repairs may reduce the general functionality of your garage door. It lengthens the repair time and compromises the security of your home. The longer your garage door stays inoperative, the higher the chances are of a thief or burglar breaking into your home.
Additionally, an incomplete repair would expose the contents of your garage to harsh weather conditions like rain or snow. This can cause damage to your vehicle or other things inside your garage. Hiring experienced experts would ensure that the work is done quickly and efficiently because they know how to handle unexpected problems that may arise.
Contact Us Today
While some DIY projects can be satisfying, it is important to always prioritize safety. Now that you know the dangers of DIY garage door repairs, you should think twice before deciding to indulge in them. By trusting ADS Automatic Door Specialists with your repairs, you are guaranteed a good job because we are fully committed to the service. Having been in the business since 1979, we’ve honed our craft to get things done right and on schedule, and we have customized techniques to fulfill your needs.
Whether you require installation, routine maintenance, or urgent garage door repair, our team will deliver quality work to enhance the functionality of your garage door. In addition to other awards, our A+ rating from the BBB reflects our dedication to providing quality services. We also offer gate repair and installation services to residents of San Diego and the surrounding areas. So, if you are in the market for professional garage door repair services, don’t hesitate to contact us at ADS Automatic Door Specialists to book an appointment.
