Do it yourself garage door repairs
Do It Yourself Repair
Today, when a quick search on google can reveal many ways to perform repairs such as garage doors and gates repairs by do-it-by-yourself, the option of fixing something without using the help of a professional handyman become more and more real. It can be a garage gate repair, a residential swing gate, rolling gate repair, or any other type of home improvement. For some people the option to use a professional expert is obvious, and when they are having a problem, they ask themselves who fix garage doors in Tarzana CA? And they search online for a garage gate technician in Los Angeles. But for some, the first option will be to make a research, and to try and understand how to fix it by do-it-by-yourself.
In our article about do-it-by-yourself garage doors repairs, we will go over the ways to fix a broken overhead door by do-it-by-yourself, and we will try and help you understand what kind of repairs should be performed in do-it-by-yourself, and which are better to be left for the pro to deal with. Our company is located in Los Angeles County, but you can use the information we offer here for any overhead door in California. You may need a garage gate repair in Gardena, or a garage gate repair in La Puente, the following info will be helpful to you.
Important Waring!!
It is important to make it clear that the info we will provide here is only a suggestion, and cannot replace the opinion of a garage gate expert who have the tools and the components to perform a professional garage gate repair. You should know that overhead doors can be dangerous, and using them the wrong way, or trying to repair them when you do not have the expertise, the tools, the components and the experience to do that can be dangerous, and can end with injuries. YOU DO NOT WANT to learn how dangerous overhead garage door or rolling steel door can be. In case you have questions, do not hesitate, and contact a local garage door technician in Tarzana to assist you. No do-it-by-yourself repair worth your health or you getting injured. So if you are not sure, use a professional for the repair.
What kind of fix-it-yourself repairs?
When you search online, you can find a Video or a tutorial for garage gate repairs, and for almost any aspect of the overhead doors issues. But what you see on your computer, is different from reality. In real life every garage gate is unique, and what worked for the specific overhead door you saw online, may not work for your door, which make the do-it-by-yourself a bit more complicated. The door itself, the spring system, the structure of your garage, the size of the overhead door, the garage motor type, the wood type, the tools that you will need and more. So following the online tutorial step by step will not always make your door work again, and more important, without fully understanding what you are doing, you can put yourself at risk, and not only that you will not fix the door, you may create a bigger damage.
To answer the question which garage gate repairs can be performed in do-it-by-yourself, we will say that it deepened on your skills, the tools you have, the ability to locate the right part for the door, and of course the job itself. Some people have the ability to repair and replace even torsion garage gate springs, and for some even the basic garage gate maintenance can become complicated. And it doesn’t matter if you own a garage gate Los Angeles County, or if you need garage door spring replacement in Tarzana. The important thing is to know your limitations, and the fact that some repairs require special tools and knowledge (Assuming you were able to locate the part for the job).
The components/Parts for do-it-by-yourself
Some components are universal, like a garage gate remote control that can be used for several garage gate motors, and some are unique and even custom made designed to fit your garage door, like if you have a custom made, or special size door. For the non-experienced, different garage gate components may look the same. And it is easy to purchase the wrong part for your garage door. And about that we have to say something which we have learned after many years of fixing broken garage doors in Tarzana CA: The right part is not “almost”, “looks like”, “may work” or any other kind of uncertainty that can end with injury.
If you will try to use the wrong part the door will not work perfectly, and it can be both dangerous, and result with a more serious damage to the garage door. We faced garage doors that were repaired with the wrong springs, and the way the door jumped, or fell down and break is something that you do not want to experience. When you look for a garage gate supplier in Tarzana, make sure that you are getting the exact part.
The tools for overhead door repair do-it-by-yourself
Some jobs require certain tools, which cannot be replaced without taking a risk. If you plan to repair your overhead door by doing it yourself, make sure that you have the right tools for the job. For example, if you are planning to replace a torsion spring, there is only one right tool for the job, and it is professional torsion sticks. Do not try to improvise and to use another tool for the job. The torsion springs are under a lot of tension, and using the wrong tool for the replacement can end with injuries.
Planning Ahead
Like every other repair, whether it is a do-it-by-yourself garage door repair, or a repair performed by a qualified technician, the job need to begin with planning the repair. Know what the steps of the repair are, and avoid surprises during the repair. You do not want to find while you in the process that you are missing a part, a tool, or that you do not know what the next step is. When the planning is being done the right way, the repair process become much clearer.
Learn, ask, search and gather information about the repair you are about to perform, and fully understand the garage gate mechanism and the way the overhead doors are built. As we will explain later in this article, the garage doors may differ from each other, but the general idea of the way the doors operate is the same. And learning the way the doors work, can make it easier for you when you will perform the repair. There are many types of overhead doors, and repairing a one piece garage gate repairs in Hermosa Beach id different from repairing a broken gate in Los Angeles County.
Do-it-by-yourself garage safety
This is the most important part of the garage gate repair process. There is no money or time in the world that worth your health and your safety. If you are not sure what to do, stop immediately, and contact a local garage gate supplier in Tarzana for the job. Overhead doors can weight hundreds of pounds, and the spring system is under a lot of tension. Put your safety before anything else. If one of the cables will snap, or if your garage gate is out of track during the attempt to fix the door, it can result with serious injuries.
Make it clear to the people in the house, or the people who use the door that you are about to perform a repair. You do not want someone to try and use the door while you are working on it.
Torsion springs DIY replacement
Our suggestion: Avoid do-it-by-yourself torsion spring repair.
The overhead door torsion springs are under a lot of tension. The spring system is what make it easy to lift open even the heaviest overhead doors, balance them, and prevent them from crushing when you are closing the door. A perfectly working overhead door should give you the ability to use it manually and the door should hold itself ay any position. Torsion spring replacement is one of the most complicated repair a broken garage door may require in order to work again. Make sure that you have the right torsion spring, the right tools, and the required knowledge.
To able to perform the repair, you need to find the exact torsion spring for your garage door, and adjust it correctly with the right amount of tension. In rare cases you may need a different torsion spring from the previous spring, so make sure you purchase the right spring for your garage door. If you are not sure, use a garage gate expert in Tarzana for the job.
Opener installment do-it-by-yourself
Our suggestions: In most cases can be performed by do-it-by-yourself (NOT for commercial overhead doors).
Before we get to the new operator installment, you need to decide what type operator you need. There are 3 typical types of operators in the American market, the screw drive, the chain drive and the belt drive. If you would like to learn more, you can read an article written by All Los Angeles Garage Doors that explain the differences between the types of garage operators, and which one will be the right operator for you. Before you go ahead and plan to install the operator by yourself, you should know that a new garage operator should be installed only when the door is working perfectly when it is being used manually. The operator should never solve any problem, since if there is a problem that you ignore, soon you will have to fix it as well, and by that time the operator may burn.
If this is a new operator installment when there was an operator installed before, make sure that there is an electric outlet, and that the way your garage is built allow an installment of a new operator. Sometime there are modifications need to be made in order to complete the repair.
Safety sensors repair do-it-by-yourself
Our suggestion: Mostly can be repaired by do-it-by-yourself.
Every garage door, which is being operated by an electric operator should include a safety feature like the laser safety sensors. Not only that installing a new garage gate operator without a safety feature is dangerous, it is also against the law, which require every overhead door to include safety sensors. Safety sensors issue is one of the typical garage gate issues, and usually repairing it require a basic understanding of the safety sensors and the way they operate.
There are ways to get behind the need for safety sensors, and of course we will not explain it here. But we will recommend you to avoid those methods at any cost. Yes, the operator will work fine even without them, but that one time that the safety sensors will protect you, a member of your family, a pet, your car or anything else that was placed under the closing door is worth it.
There are ways to check what the source of the problem is. And if the cable itself is cut, or if the sensor itself is broken, you will need some components in order to fix the problem. But in general, all overhead doors safety sensors work the same way. And if you get the idea of the way the safety sensors prevent the door from hurting someone or break something, it will be easier for you to fix the problem; whether you need garage gate repairs in Los Angeles, or garage gate repair in Calabasas, use a local specialist for the job, who will make sure that the door is safe for use.
Garage gate lubrication do-it-by-yourself
Our suggestion: Can and should be performed by do-it-by-yourself (Residential overhead doors only).
Every overhead door or garage gate need to be maintained. Even if the door is working fine and never needed repair, even if the door was just installed recently, and even if you do not think that the door need to be maintained. Lubricating your door will prevent issues, and help the door work smoother and better.
There are many moving objects included in the garage gate mechanism, and they need to be lubricated twice a year. A basic garage gate maintenance does not require more than forty minutes of your time, but it will improve the way your overhead door move, and it will protect and preserve its components. Again, if you own a commercial overhead door, you may need to use a pro for the maintenance. Since a commercial overhead door tune up require deeper knowledge, tools and safety check, to make sure that the door is safe for use.
Garage Door Services in Tarzana CA
LA Garage Doors Guys offer same day garage doors and gates services in Los Angeles County. Whether you are in need for emergency garage gate repair, or if you are searching for a local garage gate installer in Los Angeles, we can help. With our same day service, we will fix your broken garage door today.
Our Garage Door Services in Tarzana
- Tarzana CA garage door repairs
- Tarzana CA garage door installation
- Tarzana CA emergency overhead door repairs
- Lubrication, maintenance and tune up
- Tarzana Liftmaster opener
- Tarzana Genie garage opener repairs
- Tarzana Amarr garage doors
- Tarzana CA Wayne Dalton garage doors
About the author
About LA Garage Doors Guys
When it comes to garage door service in Los Angeles, whether it is a new garage door installation, spring repair, snapped cable replacement, or any kind of garage door service, you should address the problem itself as well as the cause to the problem. If there is a reason that lead to the problem, you need to take care of it as well.
If the spring broke since it just got all, there is nothing much to do beside replacing it, but if it broke since the door isn’t installed properly, if the door hasn’t been maintained for a while, or any other problem, the technician need to take care of it as well. All the technicians of LA Garage Doors Guys are trained, and have experience in fixing broken garage doors in Tarzana California, and they know that they should never leave a location, without making sure they leave a door which is safe for use.
