Should You Repair Your Own Garage Door?
Garage door repair is something that experienced DIYers may try to tackle. Sometimes it can be a great idea that saves you money. And other times, you could end up damaging an expensive and potentially dangerous component of your home. Here are some questions to ask yourself before you attempt garage door repair on your own.
Are You Sure of the Problem?
Many different issues can go into garage door malfunctions. It might be a mechanical problem with the way two parts are fitting together. Pulleys and tracks need to be clean in order to work smoothly; an issue with one of these parts' cleanliness or lubrication could cause a garage door to break. Electrical components, such as the remotes, may also be out. Unless you can pinpoint the exact cause of the malfunction, you could end up spending a lot of time searching.
Can You Find Matching Parts and Tools?
Your garage door user manual should give you some idea of where to order new parts that match your garage door and which tools to use to install or uninstall certain parts. If you can find all of these parts and tools at a reasonable price, that's great, but sometimes these costs can rival the costs of garage door repair.
What Is Your DIY Experience Level?
For a first time handyman or woman, the garage door is probably not the best project to tackle. There are many moving components of the garage door, both mechanical and electrical, that can behave unexpectedly if you aren't familiar with the system. Certain parts of the door are very expensive to replace if tinkered with. For instance, the photo eye is a small part of a garage door, but it includes a laser that can malfunction easily. If you don't have a ton of garage door repair or DIY experience, perhaps it's best to call in a professional and shadow them as they troubleshoot your garage door repair to learn how you can fix your own problems in the future.
Do You Have Small Children?
Another time when garage door repair on your own is unadvisable is when you have small children to look after. Garage doors can already be a hazard to small children for various reasons. But if your fix might not be 100% correct, and there's a chance that the garage door could lurch forward or otherwise malfunction when your child is nearby, it might be better to call in a technician. Visit a site like http://unifourdoorsystems.com for more information.
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