In the past, garages were commonly seen only as a functional structure next to a home used to house automobiles or as a means of storage for property owners. Fast forward to 2019: garages and their respective doors are not just built for functionality, but to be aesthetically pleasing too. As more and more people have begun to invest in real estate and flip houses, curb appeal is becoming more prevalent, and rightfully so!

So, when you’re shopping around for either a brand new garage door or looking to repair your current one, here are some important things to consider before you choose a service provider:

One major thing to think about when choosing a garage door company is making sure they have strict guidelines and quality control standards to ensure the safety of their employees, as well as their clients. There are specific regulations that come directly from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) as well as other federal and state agencies.

Companies that emphasize their high safety standards and lower incidence of on-the-job accidents are the ones to look for when hiring a garage door company because they take safety measures very seriously. If you’re unsure, or if safety concerns or quality control aren’t mentioned anywhere within their website or advertising, you may want to reconsider and look for a company that openly states safety as a top priority.

It’s important to ask or do your own research on what types of products and services your potential garage door company offers. With so many available options for customization, it’s good to see what materials, styles and colors might work best for your garage door. Keeping that in mind, it’s also important to check out your chosen company’s website and what types of services they offer. Some companies may specialize in both repairs and new door installation, and may also offer regular maintenance plans to keep your garage door in great shape.

The internet makes it possible to research just about anything nowadays, which can be a great help when it comes to researching a garage door company you are interested in working with. Now we have sites like Yelp, HomeAdvisor and Angie’s List to help make these decisions easier. The only drawback is that some sites will allow for companies to pay a fee to list their names at the top to gain more business.

One of the best non-biased places to search for a local reputable service provider is through the Better Business Bureau, which is a great free tool for sourcing just about any type of business online.

Additionally, it’s important to do research on how long the company has been in business as well as how experienced their technicians are and make sure the company maintains licensing and insurance requirements.

In a few of our previous posts, we’ve talked about the difference between torsion springs and extension springs.

Torsion springs sit directly above the garage door and extension springs are housed on the sides of the door. Torsion springs typically last between 15,000 and 20,000 turn cycles, whereas, extension springs usually last for up to 10,000 cycles.

It’s important to ask about the differences between the two with regard to functionality, cost and durability so that you can choose what works best for your needs. It’s also important to maintain the integrity of the springs and hardware with lubrication when needed and reach out to your garage door company with any issues before trying to fix them yourself.

When you make any large purchase, it’s also important to ask about the warranty options for garage door repairs or new installations. Some may offer guarantees directly through the manufacturer for parts, but labor might not be covered under this and should be discussed with the company you choose to make sure that your door will be covered should anything happen or if any defects are found down the road.

Just like getting a flat tire on your car or getting locked out of your house, garage door issues can happen during any hour of the day. It’s important to ask about a company’s hours and availability so that you can get help fast, should you need assistance with your garage door late at night, early in the morning, or sometime in between. Not all garage door repair companies provide 24-hour services, but at The Up & Up Garage Doors, we do!

We love to keep our customers in the loop and share what we’ve learned over the years about garage door repairs and installation. If you ever have additional questions for our team, let us know!

The Up & Up Garage Doors is a family-owned company in Austin, Texas. We are fully-committed to providing the best customer care possible, offering more than a decade of experience in garage door repair and installation. Our company is also fully-licensed, insured, and bonded with an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau and many positive testimonials from past customers. We offer 24-hour emergency service, so we are always available, whenever you need us.