Why Garage Door Spring Replacement is Never a DIY Job

Should you replace your own garage door spring? We strongly caution against it. Your door weighs hundreds of pounds, yet you can raise and lower it like it’s a gallon of milk. The reason is the springs. And to make it that easy, those springs are under an incredible amount of tension — stored energy that makes it easy to operate the garage door. If that spring should suddenly break, it can cause serious bodily injury, even death.

You should always leave the replacing of your garage door springs to a professional. It’s just not worth the risk.

A Professional Approach to Garage Door Spring Repair

A professional garage door repairman is trained and has the proper tools to be able to do the job safely. You really shouldn’t adjust or even touch the springs yourself, and definitely don’t try to repair your springs. It’s just not worth the risk! Garage door spring repair is definitely something you should leave to a professional garage door repair service.

Do Your Own Visual Inspection of Your Springs

It is a good idea to visually inspect your springs from time to time. Look for rust, any brittle areas, or other strain. This could be a sign the springs need repaired or replaced. If you see something that concerns you, call a professional for a more thorough inspection.

Repair Other Garage Door Parts While Replacing Springs

A word of advice: When you do go to replace garage door springs, you might consider replacing your pulleys, cables and nearby components as well. These have a shorter lifespan than the spring. You might as well get all of these garage door repairs out of the way to save yourself a headache later. Since you are going to call a professional anyway, why not make it count? Get all your garage door repairs done at the same time.

If you own a garage door opener, take a look at the garage door trolley. This garage door part will occasionally need to be repaired or replaced.

Extension vs Torsion Springs — What’s the Difference?

The two main types of springs are extension and torsion springs. What’s the difference? The most obvious is location. Torsion springs sit just above your garage door. Extension springs run along the sides. Torsion springs end in metal pieces called cones. Extension springs are connected to pulleys.

Torsion springs are the best to have. They are safer, last longer, but are more expensive to replace. The beauty of torsion springs is they are self contained. If they break, they won’t turn into projectiles. Extension springs can violently snap. According to building codes, extension springs are supposed to have safety cables. Unfortunately, they don’t always. This is why they have been known to cause expensive property damage, even kill people. You don’t want to mess with them.

Yes, You Can Get a Second Garage Door Spring

Ever think about adding a second spring onto your garage door? It makes your door safer and it will help your springs last longer. Ask us about this handy garage door upgrade!

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