Fixing a garage door might seem simple but it actually requires professional service. See 6 vital reasons to never, ever try DIY garage door repair.

When your garage door breaks down, you’re often trying to get somewhere in a hurry. A door that won’t open or close wrecks your plans. Garage door problems can make you late to events and obligations.

Finding yourself in a pickle at the worst time possible can tempt you to try a DIY garage door repair. Don’t do it!

This inconvenience isn’t the same as changing a flat tire or brushing snow off your vehicle. There’s a wide range of reasons you should always get professional garage door repair service instead of going the DIY route. Take a look at this list of factors you need to consider.

1. You Could Get Hurt… Or Worse

The last thing you want is for your garage door to give in to wind or for a burglar to slip in without any trouble. A heavy, sturdy garage door is a reliable garage door.

What that means for you is that a quality garage door needs professional garage door repair. If you’re not trained for the job, there are so many things that can go wrong, and they have big consequences. A small mistake could lead to you falling from a height or the door crushing you.

Consider this issue from your loved ones’ perspective, too. If the garage door kills you, they face grief and high expenses. The accident could be gory, too, which your family and friends should never have to see.

Some DIYers believe inviting repairpeople into their homes is dangerous.

When working with any reputable garage door repair company, that’s not true. Most companies have your best interest in mind and care about their clients. Yet, they don’t have to be kindhearted for motivation.

The need to maintain their reputations gives professionals all the motivation they need to keep you safe. They also want to avoid lawsuits, a raised insurance premium, and other expenses.

If you’re working with a trusted company, you can rest assured that they care about you. If they don’t, you can rely on their professional reputation to protect you. When all else fails, know that professionals are well-insured and must pay for their mistakes.

2. You Could Hurt Or Kill a Person or Pet

The dangers of DIY repairs don’t stop when you put the tools away. You may not put others at risk while you do the work, but shoddy repairs fall apart at the drop of a hat. A person or pet walking under the door could become an unwitting victim if something breaks or malfunctions.

Adult victims of garage door accidents may escape with minor injuries, but pets and kids often aren’t so lucky. The weight of a garage door falling on a small person or animal is more than enough to kill them.

To prevent one of those devastating accidents, get a professional to do the job the right way.

3. Your Vehicle Could Be in Danger

Protecting humans and animals should be your main priority when it comes to garage door safety. Past that, you need to protect one of your biggest investments—your car! Isn’t that why you have a garage door in the first place?

By trusting your amateur abilities over professional know-how, you ignore that main purpose. If your repair fails, the garage door could fall as you’re pulling out or driving in. The falling door could It could also cause major, expensive damage to your car.

High-quality garage door repairs ensure your garage protects your car like it’s supposed to.

4. Insurance Companies Hate DIY Garage Door Repair

You’re looking at big bills if the garage door indeed does come crashing down on your vehicle or, heaven forbid, a person or pet. When terrible things happen at your residence and/or to your car, it’s wise to see if your home and/or car insurance will pay. If you do the repairs, you’re likely out of luck.

DIY repairs gone wrong is one of the biggest things that stops insurance companies from paying claims. It’s undeniable in these cases: The problem is your fault.

Some home and car insurance plans have add-ons that cover damage from any cause, but most people don’t splurge on that.

Without that kind of broad coverage, neither home nor car insurance will cover DIY repair-related damage, in most cases. That’s annoying when you have to pay $1000 or so for property damage, but it’s devastating if you have to pay hundreds of thousands in medical bills.

If you go with professional repairs, you don’t need to worry. When professional garage door repairs go wrong, their insurance pays for the company’s mistakes.

5. DIY Repair Might Make It Worse

DIY fixes backfire all the time, not always ending in injury or property damage. Sometimes, the issue is mechanical. Repairs done the wrong way can make garage door problems worse.

When that happens, you end up calling a garage door repair company. By that time, you’ve invested time and money into a messed-up repair. You could’ve dodged it by calling the pros at the start.

Worse still, bad DIY repairs often lead to a pricier professional repair job. The pros have to undo your mistakes before they can tackle the original issue. You’ll pay more for labor and might have to pay for extra parts, too.

6. Garage Door Repair Equipment Isn’t Cheap

Many DIY-ers feel that they save money by doing everything alone. That’s true in some cases, but not with garage door repairs. Apart from the hidden costs of mistakes, you have to invest a lot in even attempting the repair.

The tools you need to repair a garage door aren’t cheap, and chances are slim that you have everything you need. The average person trying to fix their garage doesn’t know how to use the tools, either. A lack of training makes fixing a garage door a very dangerous task.

There’s no point in spending money on specialized tools that you aren’t confident with. Paying for them and trying to figure them out could cost more than what you’d spend on a professional fix.

Reliable Oregon, Washington, and Plano Garage Door Repair Services

DIY garage door repair isn’t worth attempting. If you can’t be swayed by the risk of disaster, at least think again before wasting your hard-earned cash by making mistakes.

For garage door maintenance you can rely on, look no further than Garage Harmony. We service Oregon garage doors in Portland, Bend, and the surrounding areas. You can also find us in and around Vancouver, Washington, and Plano, Texas.

Get in touch with us today to tackle your garage door woes once and for all.