When your garage door breaks, what is your first instinct? If you are considering pulling out a screwdriver or a drill and attempting to fix it yourself, you may want to take a step back and reconsider that approach. While some homeowners do successfully repair their garage doors, you are usually better off hiring a pro for garage door repair. Here's why.

Some repairs can be dangerous.

Most garage doors are attached to the opening mechanism by either one or two springs. These are not fun, loose springs like Slinkies. They are really thick, tight screws. If one comes undone and snaps at you, it could destroy your eye, break a bone, knock you unconscious, or even kill you. You should never attempt a repair that involves the door springs on your own, and many repairs do require that you detach or otherwise alter one or both springs. Garage door repairs experts know how to safely deal with these springs. It's just not worth the risk to do this yourself.

You may need specific tools.

Garage doors and the opening mechanisms associated with them are not always as easy to repair as you would hope. They sometimes require specifically sized Allen wrenches, tuning tools, and other specialized tools. You probably don't have these tools in a basic repair kit or toolbox. Yes, you could buy most of the tools at a home improvement store, but when you take into account the cost of the tools and the time spent driving to and from the store, you're better off just hiring a pro who will have all the right tools and know-how to use them.

Sourcing parts can be difficult.

Every garage door brand is different. Some brands are relatively compatible with generic parts, while others really need to be repaired with specific, brand-name parts. Knowing what parts to buy and how to source those parts isn't easy. Some brands do not even advertise parts to average homeowners; they only sell to repair professionals. Hiring a professional for garage door repairs takes this burden off of you. The repair company will know what parts they need and order them.

Garage door repairs are more complex than most people assume. In most cases, it's best to just leave it to the pros. Call a garage door repair company in your area to get a quote, or to learn more about their services.