Read This Before You Replace That Garage Door Spring Yourself
Garage door springs are a small component, but they make short work of s big job. Before torsion springs were a standard component, raising and lowering a garage door manually could be back breaking. Because they’re also a wearable part, garage door spring repair is one of the most common reasons to call in a professional.
It may be tempting to try to save money by doing it yourself, but there are reasons it takes skill and experience to do it safely.
Many Door Styles, Only Two Types Of Springs
No matter what your garage door looks like or what material it’s made from, it will have only one of two types of springs. Extension springs come in pairs and are located within the tracks on each side of your garage door. They have a cable that runs up through the center, which is used to open and close your doors. A torsion spring is a single spring that’s encased in a tube to protect from breakage. It’s located at the center top of the door.
Both of these types of springs are under immense pressure. They are wearable parts with an average life of 10,000 cycles. One cycle is a complete operation of opening and closing your door. If you think about how many times a day you and/or the kids run in and out, you can see how this part is constantly tested.
The Dangers of DIY
Springs are only one part of a complex mechanism. DIY garage repair isn’t a simple matter of popping it out and plugging another into its place. You have to know how the cables, pulleys, drums, and other parts work together to lift an object that can weigh hundreds of pounds. One slip, and the door can come crashing down, damaging it and destroying anything that happens to be underneath it at the time. If you don’t install and adjust all of the components properly, it can cause your door mechanism to work harder, placing more wear on the entire unit.
Some home repairs are better left to the professionals. It’s better to invest in replacing one part than to need a whole new door.