Do you find yourself constantly Googling: “Garage door repair Vaughan?” You’re not alone. A garage door in a worn-out state is a cause for concern.
Not to mention, it can escalate into a major safety issue if not treated in time. Data estimates that between 1990 and 2005, 622 cases of injuries were associated with the opening or closing of garage doors. Clearly, not maintaining your door can pose grave risks for your family.
This is why, in this blog, we will talk about how to find an expert for garage door repair in Vaughan, Ontario, and understand the garage door landscape a bit more. Here’s what the research tells us:
- Widely used: The average garage door opens and closes 3 to 5x a day or approximately 1500x a year.
- Higher ROI: Compared to other home improvement projects, installing a new garage door yields the highest ROI (a staggering 93.3%) when selling your home.
- Improper organization: Another survey suggests that nearly one-third of homeowners keep their garage door shut due to clutter and mess.
- Cost: The national average for fixing a garage door is around $75 an hour.
With a better understanding of the factors affecting garage door use, let’s jump into the following:
- Understanding the common challenges of a garage door
- Proceeding to how to get a garage door working fit and fine
- Top tips to get a professional for garage door repair in Vaughan to your doorstep
Common Everyday Challenges for Garage Doors Vaughan
A garage door is exposed to wear and tear due to constant usage. Plus, extreme weather conditions such as long hours of sunshine, excessive rainfall and snowfall, and more can leave the door damaged and shorten its life if not maintained annually.
To add complexity to the mix, homeowners often face multiple pain points and issues with respect to garage doors:
- Improper installation: An improper garage door installation in Vaughan is one of the most common pain points homeowners face. An improperly installed door can cause injuries and accidents. Whether you’re looking for a garage door installation or garage door opener installation in Vaughan, our team of experts at Penguin Garage Doors can help.
- Imbalanced garage doors: Sometimes, a garage door may slip down and might be imbalanced. Call a technician in such a scenario.
- Old garage door openers: Garage door openers that have been functioning for 20 years or more may not have the necessary safety features and may need an upgrade.
- Wear-and-tear of garage door hardware: Your garage door hardware may become worn out with time. Your door’s tracks and hinges may become loose, or the garage door rollers may not be attached to the lift cable system. Plus, the door’s cables may have excessive rust or broken strands.
- Grinding garage door belt or chain: If you’re hearing a groaning or slapping sound as the door opens or closes, chances are that the door’s chain or belt needs to be serviced.
- Broken garage door seals: With time, a garage door seal may become brittle or worn out. This can be a major cause of concern as these seals protect the garage and prevent snakes from entering your garage.
If you’re experiencing any of the above-mentioned issues, it might be a good idea to get a specialist over and inspect the problem at hand (as opposed to tackling the issue yourself without the necessary skills and tools).
Garage Door Repairs Vaughan: Top Maintenance Tips + Repair Strategies
Don’t know how to get your Vaughan garage doors repaired and installed yourself? Want to keep your residential garage door operating efficiently? Follow these expert-approved tips:
- Look for a few tell-tale signs: A malfunctioning garage door will show a few signs. When evaluating the door’s condition, ask yourself the following questions:
- Is the garage door louder than usual? Are you hearing any grinding noises?
- Is it operating smoothly, or is there a jerky motion?
- Are the parts, such as the cables, pulleys, and springs, evenly aligned?
- Get onboard a garage door specialist: The key to the prolonged life of a garage door is regular maintenance. Make sure that the door is serviced twice a year to prevent unfortunate mishaps. Some of the other areas in which a garage doors repair and installation specialist can help include:
- Tightening up the hardware, such as roller brackets and bolts
- Adjusting the garage door spring
- Inspecting and replacing the rollers properly for signs of a chip, cracks, or general wear and tear
- Replacing the weatherstripping and lubricating the moving parts of the door
- Checking the high-tension cables
- Clearing the tracks of unwanted debris
- Cleaning the garage door and grooming it as needed
- Try these DIY hacks: If you want to go the DIY route, try these hacks:
- Inspect the garage door tracks to see if there’s any debris or rust. If there’s any major track adjustment needed, it’s advisable to call a technician.
- Inspect the brackets holding the door tracks to the ceiling and wall, and in case the brackets are loose, use a socket wrench to tighten them up.
- Lubricate the moving parts (such as rollers and hinges) with a high-quality spray lubricant twice a year.
- Test the auto-reverse feature by placing a 1-1/2-inch block on the floor near the door. If the door doesn’t reverse under two seconds after coming in contact with the block, the auto-reverse feature might be damaged.
- Paint and clean the garage door from time to time to give it a fresh look.
Other Best-Practices to Embrace Include:
- Limit the use of garage doors for entry and exit and instead use the home doors more frequently
- Schedule garage door preventive maintenance at least twice a year to stay on top of your garage door needs
- Engage in the basic upkeep of the garage door to prolong its lifespan and ensure that it is functioning securely and safely
How to Find the Right Professional for Garage Door Repair in Vaughan?
Finding a reputable garage door repair company can be a stressful and time-intensive affair. Consider these tips when narrowing down your choices:
- Understand the Kind of Services the Company Offers:
Garage door companies are responsible for installing and repairing garage door parts and systems. Some of the key services a garage door company offers include:
- Selling garage doors in case of replacing the door or installing a new door
- Inspecting the garage door parts and installing a garage door, garage door opener, tracks, hinges, cables, springs, handles, locks, rollers, and more
- Removing and hauling old garage doors or their parts
- Repairing, installing, adjusting, and lubricating electric garage doors
- Reprogramming or repairing battery-operated remotes and wireless keypads
- Off-tracking the garage door
- Replacing the door panel or roller
- Repairing a broken door cable
- Conducting safety inspections and doing regular maintenance work
- Do Your Homework Thoroughly
To be able to find a seasoned team of garage door professionals, you’ll need to do a fair bit of research:
- Online research: Start by checking a few online reviews of the companies in the local area. Look at the customer’s feedback to get a sense of the experience the company has and what its reputation is like.
- Word-of-mouth referrals: You can also get personal references from your family and friends to narrow down a list of a few vendors.
- Experience level: Look at the brand’s social media pages (think: Facebook, Instagram, etc.) to understand what kind of experience the company brings to the table. If the brand has been around for a few years, you know you’ll be in good hands.
- Pricing: Make sure to speak to three to four vendors and get a quote for comparison. This will allow you to stick to your budget without compromising on service quality.
- Questions: Prepare your own list of questions to ask the garage door company. Here are some examples you can use:
- Is your company insured and licensed?
- What is your pricing like? Do you charge hourly, or is there a standard flat rate?
- Can you provide a few references of past work?
- How do you accept payment?
- Do you provide free estimates?
Over to You: Give Your Garage Doors in Vaughan the Premium Service and Care They Deserve
There you go. The truth is that for most homeowners, repairing a garage door doesn’t even make it on their To-Do list (and for a good reason).
Garage door repair and maintenance requires a little bit of expertise, experience, and handy tools to get the job done right. It’s better to let the professionals take over.
This is why make the smart move and hire the services of an experienced garage door company. Whether you want to repair the door, get an annual maintenance contract, or install a new door, get in touch with our team at Penguin Garage Doors. If you’re looking for a Vaughan garage doors specialist, connect with us to book an appointment.