As a way to save a few bucks, many homeowners may opt to take on the task of home repairs themselves even when they aren’t quite sure what to do. While you may be able to watch a YouTube video on how to fix a leaky faucet, when it comes to a garage door repair, there is no substitute for hiring a professional.
Yet many home owners still think they can fix garage door problems with a DIY approach. This is a common misconception. Before you try repairing your garage door by yourself, consider the following eight misconceptions about garage door repair:
1. Garage Door Repair is Easy
While some aspects of garage door maintenance can be easy, such as cleaning roller tracks or painting the door, others take a much higher level of experience to accomplish. A professional is much better suited to addressing more complex repairs such as replacing springs, hinges, cables, rollers and drive mechanisms.
2. Noisy Garage Doors are Normal
While you may be hard pressed to find a garage door that makes absolutely no noise when opening and closing, it’s never normal for garage doors to be excessively loud and noisy. This means that something is not working as it should.
3. A Slow Garage Door is OK
A slow garage door is not OK; in fact, it is telling you something isn’t working quite the way it should. Slow opening and closing speeds are something to keep an eye on.
4. Cutting the Power is All I Need to Do to Stay Safe
Yes, switching the circuit breaker to cut power for the motor will ensure you don’t suffer an electric shock, but it won’t protect you from injury arising from a broken spring or hinge, or from the weight of the door.
5. I Just Have to Replace One Broken Spring
Even when there’s only one spring that appears broken or is showing signs of wear, it’s best to replace them both at the same time rather than just one. You don’t want your door to operate unevenly or result in more costly problems later when the old one snaps.
6. Garage Door Repair Companies Aren’t Reliable
While this can be true of many companies, not all are out to scam you. That’s why you need to do your research and choose the best company for your needs and budget. Look for one with a solid reputation in the community with good reviews, strong word of mouth, and many years in business.
7. Professional Garage Door Repair is Too Expensive
Yes, you will have to spend some money to hire a professional, but it’s more affordable than you may think. Plus, you can’t put a price on a quality job done right. If you try to DIY the job, you could end up costing yourself a lot more money down the road to fix what you did wrong, not to mention expensive ER bills if you get injured.
8. Garage Doors Don’t Need Maintenance
Just like with any other component of your home and property, your garage door needs regular maintenance. Not only will it run better, it will last longer and save you money on unnecessary repairs.
Contact M&M Garage Doors
To schedule a repair or inspection, contact us at 586-610-5434. We are open Monday through Saturday for your convenience.