There are many reasons why experts are keen to discourage DIY garage door repairs. Unintentionally damaging your garage door and other property is just one major reason. You could end up paying more money than you thought you would save to restore your garage door to normal or find yourself needing to send your car for repairs.
Another major risk comes in the form of bringing harm to yourself or others. After all, approximately 20,000-30,000 garage door-related injuries are reported to hospitals in the United States each year. Personal injuries from DIY garage door repair can vary in severity and sometimes become fatal.
4 Personal Injuries From DIY Garage Door Repair
DIY garage door repair is already a risky undertaking by itself. Before you dive right into this project, read about these four personal injuries from DIY garage door repair, then consider whether or not the risk is worth it:
1. Pinching Injuries
According to the NEISS (National Electronic Injury Surveillance Survey), 7,550 garage door injuries involve pinched fingers. Fingers can be pinched when caught between garage door panels or when attempting to repair and replace tracks and rollers. The best way to avoid pinching injuries is to wear protective gloves and keep your fingers away from those high-risk areas of your garage door.
2. Loss Of Digits
One of the more severe injuries from DIY garage door repair is the loss of digits. If you are especially negligent with safety precautions and attempt dangerous repairs that should only ever be performed by a professional, you can risk losing your fingers. If you prefer to keep all ten fingers, leave your garage door repairs in professional hands. You need your fingers more than you need to save money.
3. Crushed By A Falling Garage Door
A multitude of injuries from DIY garage door repair can result from being crushed by a falling garage door. These can take the form of head injuries, broken bones, and many others. The NEISS reports 2,200 garage door-based injuries as being due to the garage door falling on someone.
Garage doors can weigh anywhere from 100 to 400 pounds. Being crushed by an especially weighty garage door can sometimes result in death, so you want to make sure the space below the garage door is absolutely clear. Whether it’s a DIY job or a professional service, you should keep children and animals away from the garage door during repairs.
4. Lacerations From Garage Door Windows
Injuries from DIY garage door repairs do not always originate from windows, but they are still possible. If your garage door has glass windows, you want to ensure they don’t suddenly break, as you could receive lacerations from the broken glass. Safety gear is absolutely essential if you have garage door windows, but you can also see if you can install shatter-resistant glass to avoid this injury entirely. Most garage door technicians should easily be able to provide this service if needed.
Keep Yourself Safe By Hiring Simple Garage Door Repair Today!
We hope that reading about these four personal injuries from DIY garage door repair will make you think twice about this endeavor. Pinching and loss of digits, getting crushed by a falling door, and lacerations are injuries that might lead you to spend the money you thought you would have saved on medical bills. As a result, you are more likely to actually save money by hiring a professional garage door technician to perform repairs.
Of course, you need to hire a garage door technician with the experience and knowledge to repair your garage door. If you live in Texas City, you already have access to Simple Garage Door Repair, the best service in the state. Contact us today and keep yourself safe from any garage door injuries.