Leave Garage Door Springs to the Experts!
Most people give little thought to their garage doors, until they try to open them and they no longer work. Often, problems with a garage door occur because of garage door springs. Garage door springs are tightly wound, meaning they are under a lot of tension. If your garage door springs break, do not attempt to tackle the replacement job on your own — your safety is at risk if you do. Some of the parts involved in such a process can be life threatening, and must be handled with care and precision, which is why it is always recommended that you call in a professional, rather than trying to handle a replacement yourself.
Understanding Garage Door Springs
Garage doors have two different types of springs. Torsion springs attach above the closed garage door, and extension springs are on the upper tracks on the sides of the door. Both can break, and both can be dangerous.
Springs on garage doors are wound very tightly to create the tension on the door that will allow it to lift. When they break, they snap with such force that they can cause serious injury if someone is nearby. When a do-it-yourself homeowner is tackling a garage door spring repair or replacement, this is a very real and serious risk.
Before Calling the Professional
If the spring is noisy or squeaky, it may just need to be lubricated. This does not pose much risk, as long as you don’t actually touch the springs while lubricating them. If a liberal dose of silicone lubricant does not fix the noise, then it’s time to call in a professional garage door repair technician — because the sound likely means a serious problem is brewing.
Why You Need a Professional
If your springs break completely or if they continue to make noise after you lubricate them, you need professional help.
Consider this: a garage door can weigh more than 500 pounds, and springs lift all of that weight. This means that the strength and tension of those springs is quite intense. One wrong move can send the spring whipping toward your body, which can cause serious, even fatal, injury. This is not a risk you want to take.
Calling a professional is the right option because they will:
- Have the right tools to ensure the measure and cut the correct size spring.
- Have the right tools to properly install the springs with the right tension.
- Know how to install springs safely to avoid accidents.
- Will ensure that the door is properly balanced.
- Can properly wind torsion springs to avoid problems.
Garage door spring replacement is simply NOT a DIY project. If yours need to be replaced, GarageDoorRepair.com can put you in touch with licensed, local technicians. With their help, you can affordably replace your garage door springs without undue risk to yourself. Type in your zip code in the footer below to get started!