Hours of wasted time, trawling handyman forums; your eyes aching from watching YouTube tutorials all day; your mind on the brink after buying the wrong tool at the hardware store, even though the guy said he was 100% sure that it was the one you needed!
This is an Australian cultural phenomenon, and it’s known as ‘DIYing’. We’re pretty sure it’s just as bad in other countries, too.
Of course, in some cases, DIY repairs are great – but only when they’re simple, achievable and don’t involve biting off more than one can chew.
So, how can you tell when to DIY and when to call a professional if you’re dealing with a broken garage door? In this post, the experts at Star Door Service explain what to do on your own and what you should leave to a specialist technician.
DIY garage door repairs - DOs
There are a few things that you can try on your own when you’ve got a stubborn garage door. These involve simple, risk-free tasks by which you can’t get hurt or cause more damage to your door. These include:
- Visual inspection
Look, but don’t touch. We absolutely encourage garage door owners to do a visual once-over if they suspect they’ve got a problem. Check your torsion spring and cables for any damage and your rollers for any signs of damage or misalignment. If you think you’ve located the issue, call a professional. - Lubricate your door
If you reckon your door is a little squeaky or noisy, you can also try lubricating your garage door as a DIY job. There are plenty of affordable lubricants and handy videos explaining how to lubricate a door. Note that this isn’t a repair per se, so if there is a bigger problem with your door, lubricant won’t fix it on its own.
DIY repairs – DON’Ts
Here’s when you need to call a professional to inspect and repair your garage door. These tasks should never be attempted by someone who’s not a qualified technician:
- Removing your door
This is a big no-no. Your garage door is super heavy, and removing it improperly risks damage to the door and, worse, serious harm to you. Never try to remove your garage door. - Replacing torsion spring
The torsion spring is one of the most crucial parts of your door, and if you think it’s snapped, there’s one simple rule you need to follow: don’t touch it, and call a professional. Attempting to move a garage door with a broken torsion spring can result in serious injury, too. - Realigning the rollers
Lubricant didn’t fix anything? That’s your cue to call a professional. Attempting to realign the rollers on your own is a big risk – if you get it wrong, you could cause damage to your tracks, rollers and automatic opener. - Any other repair
Basically, every garage door repair should be left to a professional. There’s just too much at stake, and it’s not worth risking your life over saving a couple hundred bucks for a service.
Got a bung door? Star Door Service are with you right away. Their team of qualified technicians have 30 years’ experience and counting. Grab a quote from Perth’s finest today.
