1. Lower your Labor Costs – Fire your high priced technicians and replace them with less experienced and lower skilled employees. Or just, reduce the number of people you have working for you.
2. Reduce your materials cost – Look for cheaper sources of materials. And if you’re really desperate, find sources of used parts and use them in your repairs.
3. Reduce your margins – It’s one thing to make a little less, knowing that your customers are less willing to spend money. It is a totally different story, when you reduce your price to break even! Companies that do this are on the brink of going out of business.

There are no SECRETS! And the old adage remains the same: “If it sounds too good to be true, it is.”

Frankly, I’m a little pissed off at what some of my competitors are doing out there. I find it totally unacceptable when companies make promises they don’t back up. For example, many offer a coupon advertising a service call for $29.95  This is ridiculous! On average, in any given market, it takes a minimum of 30 minutes travel time to get to a customer. Round trip that’s an hour. Combine that with fuel cost and wear and tear on the vehicle cost. The break even amount of a service call is on average $20  THAT DOES NOT include the time it takes once you are on the job.

Bottom line: Consumers Beware - You are GUARANTEED you will be pressured once the technician arrives with additional fees and services.

Another trick used quite frequently by less than desirable companies: Being too greedy or incompetent by telling customers that the only way to fix their door is to replace it with a new one.

In servicing thousands of garage doors over our 28 years, most doors can be repaired for less money than it takes for a replacement. We have the ability to replace the hinges, springs, and cables on a door for less than a couple of hundred dollars. And if through our inspection of the door, we find that the costs will exceed $200, then we have a choice to make.

Important rule of thumb: If the repair on the garage door costs more than $200, you are $200 away from a new door(A new door installed is about $400)

Now I realize this is a blanket statement, but for most doors, repairs are typically limited to replacing a couple of hinges, the cable and maybe even a bearing or two. And if you really had to, replacing a panel on the door. The costs here are still less than a couple of hundred dollars.

I also understand, replacing an old door with a new one is always better, but let’s get real! Repairs almost always cost half of what a new door costs. When we’re all trying to save money, we get the most out of our money with a repair and a can of paint.

Here’s the last tip: Most garage door openers can be repaired to function like new. All too often, other companies are looking for the quick buck. If the opener is broken…sell them a new one! I personally, don’t like to buy a new one if I can fix it!  If I had money to burn, sure I’d buy a new one but times are tough. We are here to help!

These are just a couple of the ways to save money on garage door and opener repair. We believe in educating our customers to make informed decisions to get the most for their hard earned money.

Abel Garage Door has been servicing the Sacramento Metropolitan market for over 28 years. We know what it is like to struggle in tough economic times. We’ve done it before and we are doing it now. We strive to provide the most cost effective and value for every service we provide. We know survival is guaranteed to those that provide top quality service at an affordable price.

We place our customers first.

We are fully licensed, bonded and insured. We are open 7 days a week from 7am to 7pm with emergency service available 24 hours a day, 365 days of the year.

NOTE: This list is not intended to be a comprehensive list of every safety precaution.

Always consult your manufacturer’s installation or instruction manual for safety information about your door model.

WARNING: Garage door springs, bottom brackets, red colored fasteners, cables and supports are under extreme tension, and can cause serious injury or death.

1. Replace Old Springs. Your garage door’s springs are arguably the most important and most dangerous part of your door. Springs wear out. When they break, injury can result. If you have an older garage door, have your springs inspected by our trained door systems technician and replaced if needed. If your door has two springs, have both replaced even if one is not broken. This will not only prevent any damage caused by the breaking of the second spring, but also keep your door working efficiently.

2. Check Your Door Cables. Visually inspect the cables that attach the spring system to the bottom brackets on both sides of the door. If these cables are frayed or worn, they are at risk of breaking, which can create a potentially hazardous situation. Due to the hazards associated with high spring tension, these cables should be replaced only by our trained door systems technician.

3. Squeaky Springs? Springs can squeak and be noisy. This is caused by normal use and does not necessarily indicate a problem. Before calling our trained door systems technician, coat the springs with a spray-on lubricant recommended especially for garage doors. If the noise persists, call a us for service.

4. A Do-It-Yourselfer, Eh? Most consumers choose to have their doors installed by our trained door systems technicians. We are trained in the challenging and time consuming task of door installation, and have tools and background to install your door properly. If you attempt the installation by yourself, be sure you are confident in your skills and training, and possess and use the right tools for the job. Before beginning, make sure you thoroughly read and understand the manufacturer’s installation instructions, and then meticulously follow those instructions.

5. Containment Cables for Extension Springs. If your garage door has extension springs, a containment cable should run through each spring and should be connected to the wall or ceiling at each end. When your garage door is closed, extension springs are under high tension. If a spring breaks, a potentially hazardous situation can result. A containment cable can keep that broken spring contained. If you have extension springs but do not have containment cables, call us for a safety inspection.

6. Struggling With Your Door? If your door does not go up and down smoothly and easily, you may have an unsafe condition. Even older door systems should operate smoothly and easily. If this operational difficulty continues when the door is manually operated, you may have a spring system that is out of balance. This can cause premature wear and tear on other important door components. Repairing or replacing spring systems can be hazardous, and should be accomplished only by our trained door systems technicians.

7. Watch Your Fingers! If your door lacks pinch-resistant joints, you should have lift handles or suitable gripping points on the inside and outside of the door. Even if your door has a motor operator, the door must occasionally be operated manually. Never place your fingers between the door sections. If you manually open or close the door, use the lift handles or gripping points!

8. Don’t Touch the Bottom Brackets! Since the bottom brackets on a garage door are connected to the door’s springs, these brackets are constantly under extreme tension. They should be adjusted only by our trained door systems technician.

9. Use the Old Track? When buying a replacement garage door, some homeowners are tempted to save a few dollars by putting the new door on the old track. However, your old track may not fit with your new door, depending on the thickness of your sections, the weight of the door, the headroom required, the location of the garage door operator, and other considerations. The track and sections work together as a system. For maximum performance and longer life, you should use the track that is designed and supplied for your specific door.

10. Regular Service. Your garage door is probably the largest, heaviest moving object in your home and is typically used every day. Over time, parts can wear out and break, creating potential hazards. Although you should conduct monthly safety checks and provide regular limited maintenance to your garage door system, an annual visit from our trained door systems technician can keep your door operating safely and smoothly for a long time.

11. Man the Manual. Keep the owner’s manuals for your door and operator near the door for easy reference. Every model of door and operator has specific safety instructions unique to that model. Where is your manual? For a replacement copy, contact the door or operator manufacturer.