Many Garage Door Service Companies are offering 'Overhaul Packages'. This usually involves replacing all of the hardware on your garage door. It includes Rollers, Cables, Springs, Pulleys and Safety Cables and sometimes Tracks. It also includes a Five Year or Lifetime Warranty on the parts; of course you will still be responsible for labor charges after the first year. Some claim your garage door will be 'like new'. Read this news article...

The average cost for this type of repair is between $500.00 to as much as $900.00 . For that much money you could just about purchase a brand new garage door. So the question is: Does it make sense to replace hardware that is not broken? Our professional opinion is NO; it does not make sense to invest hundreds of dollars on replacing hardware that does not need to be replaced. It's like buying a replacement warranty on an electric pencil sharpener. Residential garage door hardware is designed to last about 20 years with normal use. Springs, cables and rollers are what we replace a lot of. In the majority of repairs, the top and bottom rollers tend to break more often, and cables sometimes will break prematurely. Our repair bill (average) is $135.00 a far cry from $500 to $900 for the 'Overhaul Package'. Read this news article...

Ask yourself this question . If the brakes on your car need to be replaced, are you going to replace the engine and transmission as well? After all they have been in use just as long as the brakes. But the brakes get much more wear and tear so they need to be replaced more often. Garage doors are no different, some parts are under more stress than others, and it is those parts that should be replaced. We recommend that you follow these guidelines;

1. Springs should always be replaced in pairs.
2. Bottom and top rollers usually break before others; therefore they should be checked and replaced if necessary.
3. Cables if frayed should be replaced.
4. Pulleys should be checked for broken bearings and replaced if necessary.
5. If a part has visible wear and tear or has failed then it should be replaced.
Following these guidelines when your door needs to be serviced will help you get the job done right without breaking the bank. At United Door we will never attempt to replace parts that are not broken or try to up-sell you on a Lifetime Warranty that has very little value.

We have over fifty years of knowledge in the service and replacement of garage doors and openers for homes and businesses.

Use our DoorBuilder to design your Carriage House Door

Facts you need to know before Servicing or Replacing your garage door!

Call 800-874-3667 for more information or to schedule a Free estimate

Overhauling your Garage Door is NOT Necessary!

The Door Company you are calling may not be located in your area!

Okay, so you picked a Garage Door Company in the local Yellow Pages or maybe on the internet. Do they really have an office in your community or are they just using a local telephone number?

Many companies are using local telephone numbers to make you think that they have a local office or warehouse. Some of these companies are not even located in your state. How can you tell? Look for ads that have multiple counties listed and have a different phone number under each of the counties, and no address in the ad. If you call them; ask them where they are located? Do they have a physical address or just a P.O. Box?

Keep in mind that whether you are servicing or replacing your garage door or garage door opener, you should deal with a reputable company that has a physical location, not just working out of a truck. If your door or opener should need an adjustment during the warranty period, will you still be able to contact them? Will they be willing to come back to do a 'no charge' warranty call?

Don't take their word, check them out!

Asking for references can be helpful in your decision.  But are they providing you with random references or their best references?

A reputable company will always use the last three customers as a reference. Ask if you can contact the references. You may also want to call your local Consumer Affairs or Consumer Protection Agency to see if any complaints have been lodged against the company. If a complaint was lodged, How did they resolve it and how quickly?

Here are some helpful links:

Westchester Dept. of Consumer Protection
New York City Dept. of Consumer Affairs
CT. Dept of Consumer Protection

Are they insured?

Did you know that if the company you hire is uninsured, you could be liable for personal injuries sustained while working on your property? Yes, that's true. If the person or company you hire does not have a current Workers Compensation Policy you could be responsible for all medical bills and loss of income.

Always ask if they are insured, not just for Workers Compensation, but for General Liability which covers property damage, and Auto Liability which covers the vehicles used to deliver the door or parts to your home. Remember, if they are not insured, and something does go wrong while on your property, you can be held responsible for personal injury and/or damage to adjoining properties.

We will be happy to provide insurance certificates when requested .

All Garage Doors are NOT the same!