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Posted on 24th Mar 2023
Garage doors come equipped with a vital component called the garage door spring. This mechanism is responsible for counterbalancing the weight of the door and allowing it to open and close smoothly.
However, these elements have a limited lifespan and will eventually need to be replaced. Before you embark on this maintenance task, it's essential to keep some critical factors in mind for a safe and successful outcome. In this blog post, we will discuss five things you should know before replacing a garage door spring.
Doing spring repair garage door yourself can be dangerous, particularly for an inexperienced individual, so consider hiring a professional like Fix Garage Doors CA. A high level of force and tension is stored in the springs, and mishandling these parts can result in injury or even death.
Dropping the door, having tools slip, or installing an element incorrectly can cause accidents. To minimize risk, thoroughly research and follow safety guidelines for your specific type of spring if you choose to do the repair yourself, or consider getting a professional service.
Garage door springs come in two main varieties: torsion and extension springs. Torsion springs are mounted horizontally on the door track, above the closed garage door. This type uses torque to open and close the garage door. They usually last longer, but they cost more to replace because they are harder to set up.
Extension springs are located on either side of the closed garage door, running along a horizontal track parallel with the ceiling. This type uses tension and stretching force to open and close the garage door. They’re cheaper to install than the torsion type, but they last for fewer cycles before needing replacement.
Torsion springs can be found in two types: standard-lift and high-lift systems. Standard-lift systems use one torsion element on each side of the closed garage door, while high-lift systems use two torsion elements. High-lift systems provide extra lift power, which makes them suitable for heavier doors like wood or steel models with windows.
In terms of safety, both types of torsion systems can come with an emergency release cord that lets you manually disengage the mechanism if it fails or doesn't work right. Extension spring systems can't do this, so if they break or stop working, the whole thing has to be replaced.
Before you decide to replace the spring, you need to make sure that's really the problem. A broken element can manifest in several ways, such as a loud snap upon breaking, a sagging door, or a gap in the spring coil. If you don't know if the problem is the spring or something else, you should have a professional check it out.
This kind of repair requires specific tools and parts, which can vary depending on the type of system you have. Some common tools and items that you may need include winding bars, C-clamps, adjustable wrenches, safety glasses, and gloves. Furthermore, ensure that you acquire the correct type and size of replacement spring to avoid complications during the job.
It's not unusual for a garage door to have two springs, especially if it is big or heavy. In these cases, it's crucial to assess both, as an old element can pose a risk even if it hasn't broken yet. By replacing both at the same time, you can make sure they work well together and make it less likely that you'll have problems again soon.
Replacing a garage door spring can be a challenging task, but it's essential for maintaining the functionality and safety of your garage door. Understanding the type of spring, knowing the risks, figuring out if it needs to be replaced, getting the right tools and parts, and thinking about replacing any extra elements are all important steps to make sure everything goes well. When you're not sure what to do, hiring a professional technician can give you peace of mind and a guarantee that the job will be done well.
