Small do-it-yourself projects are a great way to save money while maintaining your home. If you consider yourself particularly handy, you can even DIY a few remodeling projects, like installing a laminate floor, replacing a dishwasher, or even adding a new chandelier to your home. No matter how skilled of a DIY-er you are, however, do not attempt residential garage door installation on your own. Here are a few reasons why.
1. Safety
First and foremost, safety is a huge issue in a residential garage door installation. This is because garage doors are raised and lowered with the help of springs. While different door styles have different types of springs, including torsion springs, extension springs, and springs within a cable system, all are safety issues for everyone but experienced professionals. In fact, torsion springs are extremely dangerous due to the fact that they are under tremendous pressure on your garage door.
Inexperienced DIY-ers can accidentally release a torsion and cause injury to themselves or a bystander. Only experienced professionals with proper training and equipment should work on torsion springs and other garage door elements that are under pressure to avoid injury to themselves and as well as avoid damaging the garage door system.
2. Time
While DIY projects can be fun and create a sense of pride and satisfaction when completed, your time should also be taken into consideration. Many projects, like a garage door installation, can be incredibly time-consuming for the average homeowner. Before starting any project, determine how much money you would really save in labor costs by doing the project by yourself.
3. Warranty
Read the warranty on your new garage door before attempting the installation by yourself. Because of the dangers of torsion spring injury, your garage door manufacturer may state that the warranty is null and void if the system is not installed by a professional residential garage door installer. This simple fact may make your DIY attempt not worth the effort.
4. Liability
As part of the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act of 1990, garage doors are required by law to reverse if they come into contact with an object. The law went into effect on January 1, 1993, in order to save the lives of small children. When a professional installs your garage door, the company they work for is responsible if any accidents occur with the reverse mechanism. If, however, you decided to install the door on your own, you may be liable.
While DIY projects offer a fun challenge to many homeowners, garage door installation should not be on the list. Contact a residential garage door installation contractor near you to learn more.
