Garage Door Repair Tips to Finding a Service Technician

When it’s time to have garage door repair performed at your house, you’ll want to hire a reputable service technician who can do a great job. The garage door is one of the largest moving components in your home and when it breaks down, it can be a major inconvenience. Here are some tips for getting the job done right:

– Prevention: As the saying states, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Keeping up with maintenance will keep the apparatus moving smoothly for a much longer period of time. Twice a year, it’s a good idea to tighten all screws, oil all moving parts, check for spring tension and check batteries in the remote. It’s also a good idea to touch up the paint annually so that warping and peeling doesn’t occur.

– Finding a service technician: One of the best ways to find reputable techs is by word-of-mouth recommendations from family, friends, neighbors and coworkers. Ask the people who live on your street who they’ve used to work on their garage doors and whether they were happy with the service. It’s also a good idea to contact an overhead door dealership in the area, as they will most likely have a service department who make house calls.

– When the tech arrives: The technician should be able to assess the situation and give a written estimate of work that is necessary. He or she should be able to repair many break downs at the time of the appointment. Some parts may need to be ordered, however, depending on the make and model of the garage door.

– Items serviced: Springs, tracks, and machinery are all typical items to be tuned up. The professional will check to see if there are blockages in the tracks, loose parts or ill functioning machinery.

– Do you need a new one? Sometimes it is time to make an investment in your home by buying a new garage door. If the one currently in the home is very old, heavy and dilapidated, it may not be worth repairing. Most dealers carry an impressive line of new products. Materials to select from include wood, steel, aluminum, and fiberglass. There are pros and cons to each. For example, wood is classy but takes a bit more upkeep. Steel is durable but also weighs quite a bit. Aluminum is lightweight but may be easily dented. Fiberglass is inexpensive but may not last as long as the other varieties.

Whether it’s time to repair or replace, a bit of shopping around will show all the possibilities. It might be wise to get a repair estimate and then look at new doors to see which would be best for long term. Garage door repair or replacement can be investments in a smoothly run home.