Garage Door Repair – Try to Do it Yourself Before Calling a Professional
You might think that every garage door repair requires a professional, and that every problem must be major. However, some issues are easily solved, and nearly anyone can complete some of them. Consider some of the most common problems, and their quick fixes.
If you have an automatic system, it can be an issue when it stops working, leaving you and your car trapped inside. Before you arrange for other transportation, find the red emergency cord that hangs down from the opener. This is called the manual override, which means that once you pull it, you can open and close your garage on your own until the problem is fixed. At least this way you can get in and out for the time being.
Sometimes the door will not lock, which means that your car and even your house could be in danger if you are leaving for a while, such as for vacation. Usually, the problem is that the horizontal bars simply move out of place over time so that they cannot be lined up to be placed into the corresponding slot. To fix this, just unscrew the guide brackets until you can move them, and then line them up so the bars fit into the slot. You can also add some oil to the area so that everything moves smoothly.
Another garage door repair is common in areas that receive particularly cold weather. Sometimes, the mechanism becomes stiff so that it is difficult for the door to open. Fortunately, there should be pressure adjustments to help either raise or lower it easier. Just check the settings, adjusting them as necessary, until it runs smoothly once again.
You should also periodically go through the area with a wrench, tightening nuts, bolts, and screws. Sometimes a simple loose screw or lost nut or bolt can make it difficult or even impossible to operate the system. Before you pay a garage door repair professional to fix what you believe is a major issue, consider checking to make sure it is not something that is easily fixed.
If you do not have the time or desire to consider these quick fixes, it is time to hire a company to do it for you. However, if you are interested in possibly saving money and hassle, such repairs should take very little time. In fact, you may even feel a sense of accomplishment after repairing the issue in your garage.