DIY Garage Door Opener Installation - Think Twice!
By ProMatcher Staff
Your garage door opener is something you probably use every day without much thought. You only realize how important it is when it's not working. All of a sudden, it's a huge inconvenience. You may be tempted to troubleshoot the issue yourself. However, DIY repairs may be more dangerous than you think. We want to share a few examples of things that could go wrong.
1. You could fall off a ladder.
Did you know that over half a million people are treated for ladder injuries each year in the U.S? Most of these ladder injuries occur from ladders that are less than ten feet tall.
2. You could electrocute yourself. DIY electrical work is dangerous.
On average, there are about 400 electrocutions in the U.S. every year (U.S. CPSC). Even trained professionals are at risk! Each year, 143 construction workers die as a result of electrocution. According to the National Safety Council, approximately 4,400 people are injured each year because of various electrical hazards. Working with live electrical wires is very dangerous, no matter your experience level.
3. You could start a fire!
There are about 140,000 electrical fires in the United States each year. Many of these occur in people's home. In fact, there are 51,000 fires home electrical fires each year. These fires cause an estimated $1.3 billion in property damage each year (ESFI). As you can see in the video above, the threat of fire is real! This type of fire could easily spread from the garage to other areas of your home, when it's not extinguished immediately.
4. You could put your children in danger.
This is particularly true for older garage door openers. Automatic reversing openers are an essential safety feature for all garage door openers. Since 1993, federal safety regulations have required that garage doors have a secondary reversal system. If there is someone or something blocking the path of the door, the door reverses direction automatically. If your opener does not have this important safety feature, it's important to have one installed immediately.
5. There may be other problems with your garage door.
Replacing the opener may not solve all of your garage door problems! If your opener needs repair, this is a great time to evaluate the overall safety of your garage doors. A licensed garage door contractor can inspect each component and decide if springs need to be replaced or if the tracks need to re-aligned. When it comes to fixing the opener, they should be able to diagnose the problem with ease.
About the Author
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| ProMatcher Staff, ProMatcher
Orlando, FL 32803
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