Three Things To Ask Before Replacing A Garage Door Spring

When you notice some of the common signs of a broken garage door spring, such as failure to open, uneven opening, and physical abnormalities in the mechanism, you might consider getting a kit and replacing it yourself. In most cases, calling a professional garage door repair company is a better option. Not only is it much safer to hire an experienced person, but it can save you money in the long run on maintenance and by preventing a possible error or injury.

Before you replace a garage door spring, there are a few questions you should ask:

1 What kind of problem is the garage door spring and mechanism having?

If you see a physical break in one or both of the springs, it is obvious that they need to be replaced. Slow or difficult raising of the door, too-fast closing, or uneven operation can be signs that the springs are damaged, but may also be caused by broken lines and track abnormalities. Most problems with garage doors can have multiple causes, and it can be difficult to determine all of them without a trained eye. Fixing one problem and ignoring others may cause more problems.

This is another excellent reason to call professionals when you are having garage door issues. They will be able to diagnose and fix exactly what the real problem is and will not stop after just the first problem they come across. It is better to have everything inspected and corrected at one time.

2 What type of spring mechanism does your garage door use?

Whether you open your garage by hand or use an automatic opener, a garage door can have two different types of mechanical setups. The type that is easier to replace and more common on home garages uses one extension spring on each side of the door track. These stretch and retract when attached to pulleys that help you raise and lower your garage door safely.

The other type of mechanism uses a torsion spring. This single spring stretches between the sides of the door against the wall, parallel to the garage door top. Instead of contracting and releasing, it uses torque to facilitate opening and closing. As a rule, torsion springs are more difficult, expensive and dangerous to replace. Calling in a professional is the best idea.

Each type of spring also uses metal tracks, cables and other hardware to complete the task of letting you in and out of your garage whenever you want. All of these things should be inspected when a repair is to be made.

3 Do you REALLY want to tackle this potentially dangerous job yourself?

No matter what type of spring mechanism, cables, tracks or other apparatus you have for opening and closing your garage door, it is still a potentially dangerous do-it-yourself project to undertake. Springs and cables can break and snap back suddenly. Heavy garage doors or metal parts can fall unexpectedly. The chance of installing or repairing something incorrectly leads to an increased safety risk and expense down the road.

When it comes to replacing springs on your garage door, hiring trained professionals with all of the appropriate safety equipment and insurance makes sense. Trusting experience and know-how means you can rest easy and not worry.