How to Avoid a Garage Door Repair Scam

Are you considering a keyless garage door opener for your home garage? It can be a great idea to replace your current garage door system with a keyless entry system for several reasons. For one, they are incredibly convenient. You don’t ever have to worry about losing or misplacing your keys, because there are no keys. Just input your code into the garage door opener keypad and you’re in. For another, there’s no lock to pick, and no complicated changing of locks if someone gains access. All you have to do is change the code on your garage door keypad, which takes a few seconds, and you’ve got yourself a brand new lock.

wooden garage doors

Another added bonus of keyless garage doors is that you can assign a temporary code, so friends or family members can gain access one time without you having to distribute multiple keys or giving multiple people access to your garage and your home.

How do you know if the garage door company you get to install your keyless entry garage door is legit?

Beware of Garage Door Repair Scams

Whether you need work on your door because the lock broke and you need a new keyless garage door opener system, there’s something faulty in the mechanism preventing the door from closing and opening properly, or you’ve sustained physical damage to the door, you want a garage door repair and installation company you can trust. The problem is, you probably don’t have your garage door replaced or repaired too often and your neighbors may not have either, so you’re probably not trained to look out for the warning signs of a garage door repair scam.

warning sign

We don’t want you to fall victim to unscrupulous garage door scammers, so here’s what to look for.

  • No Identifying Marks: If your potential garage door repair person shows up in an unmarked van, without a uniform or any other indicators of the company he works for, this should be a big red flag. Most reputable garage door repair people are affiliated with a company that is proud to display their logo and other identifying information so you know who you’re dealing with.
  • Excessively Low or High Prices: Shop around online and see what the typical prices are for the repair or installation service you’re looking for. If a price seems exorbitantly high, call the company on it, and don’t be afraid to look elsewhere. Perhaps as importantly, an extremely low price for a service can be one of the big warning signs of a garage door repair scam. If they offer you a price that’s way lower than the price others quote you elsewhere, you can bet the installation or repair is going to fail before long.
  • Lifetime Guarantees: A lifetime guarantee sounds great, but it can also be one of the warning signs of a garage door repair scam. The trick here is to install a part that will fail, and then when honoring the lifetime guarantee, replace the faulty part for free but slap on a hefty service charge for the reinstallation.

Now you know what to look for in a potential garage door scam, but what about how to avoid garage door repair scams entirely? Your best bet here is to seek out a garage door company with a reputation for reliability, honesty and quality service.

Garage door repair scams are actually a lot more prevalent than you might think. If you are a victim of such a scam, it cannot only cost you money, but can also be dangerous, as a faulty garage door installation or repair can become a serious safety issue. Avoid scams by only working with reputable garage door companies for your garage door installation or repair and by staying informed, as an informed consumer is the scammer’s worst enemy.

Custom Door & Gate has more than 25 years of experience in the garage door business. Our friendly, professional staff proudly serves residential and commercial garage door needs of customers throughout North Carolina. Learn more about our available garage door products, from keyless garage door opener systems to a variety of residential and commercial doors. You can also schedule a repair of your garage door and get an estimate of the cost.