A garage door can be one of the most prominent features of your home. It’s also often the one that needs the most maintenance. Garage door systems have a lot of moving parts, which tend to get worn out after a while. When that happens, your garage door may not open or shut correctly or may stop working altogether. It’s important that you know about the garage door repair scams that are out there.
Entrepreneurs are aware of the fact that the average homeowner couldn’t tell you what needs to be fixed when the garage door stops working. Though there are many businesses that treat these homeowners fairly, there are some that outright lie in order to make an extra buck. There are a few common garage door repair scams to be on the lookout for so you aren’t paying for more than you need, or for fraudulent services.
The Lifetime Guarantee of Expensive Repairs
When the spring on your garage door breaks, it will prevent the door from raising correctly. When that happens, your first instinct will be to call a local service repairman. You do, and he comes and inspects the door. After looking around for a bit, he says you need a new spring. He has a few options. One of these is a spring with a lifetime guarantee for a much higher price, of course.
When you buy this spring, it will break. So the repairman comes back out to your home and installs a new one for free; however, he charges some outrageous service fee. This is one of the most common garage door repair scams. There is no such thing as a spring that will last a lifetime. All mechanical parts get worn out. You are better off simply buying a regular spring from a trustworthy source whom you know will charge a fair price.
Call This Number
If you have never closely examined your garage door, there is likely a sticker on it that gives you a number to call if it needs repair. For Atlanta residents, it will more often than not start with 404, 678 or some other local area code. When you call that number, it will redirect you to a national call center. Unfortunately, the operator will not know much of anything. Rather, they will send a repairman, who will charge a hefty sum just to see what the issue is.
You are much better off avoiding this scam by calling a local service company. You can describe the problem and, if you do know what is broken, give that information to them. They will ask a series of simple questions, like the size and material of your door, and often give you a free estimate on the repair. From there, you can decide the best option for you.
I’m Surprised Your House Is Still Standing
If you have ever taken your car in for simple maintenance, like an oil change, you’ve likely experienced a similar scenario. The repairman comes to your house for, as you see it, a simple repair, like replacing a broken roller. They poke around for a bit, examining every component. A few minutes later, he tells you that just about every component of your garage door needs to be replaced. He hands you an estimate, likely hundreds or thousands of dollars, for all the work he needs to do.
While you may need to do some more repairs than you initially expected, 9 times out of 10 this is a rip-off. Always get a second opinion, or better yet, hire a garage service company with a great reputation to do the work for you.
Top Notch Garage Door Repair
One of the easiest ways to ensure you do not fall victim to the common garage repair scams is through the power of the internet. Organizations like the Better Business Bureau accredit only top-notch companies, and websites like Angie’s List and Yelp allow customers to leave their own reviews of companies they have hired.
CSS Garage Doors has earned high marks in each of these fields. For more information about the services we offer, check out our website or contact us today!