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Why You Should Never Attempt Garage Door Spring Repair Yourself

The average overhead garage door goes up and down several times a day, thousands of times per year. What’s more, they weigh hundreds of pounds, yet raise with the push of a button or a tap of your smartphone. What makes it so easy? The garage door’s torsion springs. As far as the opening system for the garage door goes, the opener motor doesn’t actually do a whole lot of the lifting and lowering. The garage door’s spring uses torque to do most of the heavy lifting. 

When your garage door’s springs are about to go, you’ll notice. The door’s opener will have trouble lifting the door, and it will likely lower way too quickly. It might get loud, and it won’t open and close smoothly anymore. If you leave the garage door springs in disrepair too long and they break, there are several awful possible consequences, the least of which is a broken garage door crashed on the ground. 

When your garage door’s springs break down, it’s important to realize this is no DIY repair job. Garage door spring repair should only be done by a professional. While torsion spring replacement on a garage door is generally safer than fixing an extension spring, it’s still a job best left to an experienced technician. The springs on a garage door are extremely dangerous and can cause serious injury and even death.

Types of Garage Door Springs: Torsion vs Extension

There are 2 types of garage door springs — torsion and extension. In a nutshell, extension springs use tension to fully expand or contract as the overhead door opens or closes. They’re usually set on either side of the garage door and run along the tracks. You can tell when an extension spring is going because you’ll be able to see stretching and deformation of the spring’s shape. 

Garage door torsion springs, on the other hand, use torque to turn. Located above the center of the garage door at one end of the trolley track, they use torque to lift and lower the door. But beyond functioning, the real difference is in the quality and how long they last. Torsion springs are more expensive but will last considerably longer: 15,000 to 20,000 cycles. Extension springs usually only last 5,000 to 10,000 cycles.

Extension springs are more affordable than torsion springs in upfront costs, but they’re less efficient and less reliable. Torsion springs may be more expensive on the outset, but because they last longer they are a more economical option over time. And if your garage door springs break, extension springs are likely to fly all over the place, whereas torsion springs just violently unwind in place.

DIY Garage Door Maintenance: Spring & Cable Inspection

Though we strongly caution against working on your own springs, you should still give the springs a visual inspection from time to time. Never touch the springs themselves. Instead, look to see what kind of condition they are in. Are they rusted, fraying, or damaged in any way? Likewise, you can also visually inspect the cables. Look for any frayed ends, rust, or brittleness. This cable-pulley-spring system is essential to the function of your garage door; don’t ignore it.

If you do notice any wear and tear that concerns you, give us a call. We’d be happy to come out and do a professional inspection. It’s always best to catch a spring issue before it’s a real problem. These springs can be extremely dangerous if they snap. Plus, if you catch worn out springs before they break, it’s not an emergency you have to deal with before you go to work. You can get it done on your time. It’s not only less stressful, but also a lot less expensive. Replacing garage door springs is a low-cost garage door repair. But replacing a broken garage door that crashed after you ignored the signs of worn out springs? Exponentially more expensive.

Though you should never actually touch the cables because they’re so dangerous, it’s a good idea to give them a visual inspection several times per year as well. Look for broken strands and damage near the bottom roller bracket. Also, keep an eye out for rust. If you encounter any wear or damage, call our garage door service professionals to schedule an inspection.

DIY Garage Door Repair: Nuts, Bolts & Lubrication

One of the best ways to avoid costly garage door repair is to regularly keep up on the maintenance yourself – and not just for the door’s springs and cables: 

  • A couple of times a year, you should take a wrench and tighten up the hardware. This stuff tends to rattle loose as we raise and lower our garage doors. Don’t overtighten these nuts, bolts and screws, though. They need to have just a bit of give, and you don’t want to strip the parts and cause yourself another broken garage door part. 
  • Give the rollers an inspection. Clean and lubricate the rollers with lubrication specifically formulated for garage door parts – don’t use WD40. Look for worn, chipped or cracked rollers. These will have to be replaced. You can easily replace rollers by removing and reinstalling any worn roller brackets. If the worn rollers are metal, consider replacing them with nylon ones. Nylon rollers can’t corrode, and tend to be quieter.
  • You should also lubricate all moving parts, except the tracks, and that includes the garage door trolley rail. Never use WD40. Instead, use white lithium grease on the garage door opener’s chain or screw to coat all moving parts. A spray lubricant, available at most garage door repair shops, is best for springs.
  • Part of your seasonal garage door inspection should also include the bottom seal on your overhead door. This seal is what keeps your garage door energy-efficient and protects it from water, debris and vermin. If it’s cracked, brittle or come loose, simply grab a new cut-to-size seal from your local hardware store and replace it yourself. 

The Importance of Annual Garage Door Inspections

It’s a good idea to have a professional inspect your garage door for any repair needs on an annual basis. This way, they can identify maintenance issues before they become real problems. They can make sure all the rollers and brackets are in good condition, that the door is well-balanced, that all critical parts are well-oiled. They can also check your springs and cables and see if those need repair. When it comes to the ongoing costs of your garage door, preventative maintenance and repairs are far cheaper than installing a new garage door because your current one broke.

Garage door emergencies do happen, but most can be spotted before they become real problems. That way you can address them on your own time — not first thing on a weekday morning when you’re trying to get to work! Give us a call. We’d be happy to come out and take a look.

Great Local Garage Door Service with 100% Guaranteed Customer Satisfaction

Call SACS GARAGE today to have your garage door springs inspected or replaced. We offer 24-hour on-call customer support and complete 100% guaranteed customer satisfaction. We’re a local garage door service company serving the Citrus Heights and greater Sacramento area, as well as the Los Angeles and Seattle, WA areas.

Can You Fix Your Broken Garage Door Yourself?

Although it may look like a potentially easy fix, you would be taking your life into your hands to attempt to fix your garage door by yourself. Garage doors can weigh several hundred pounds, and if yours is off its track and collapses on you, that could cause catastrophic injury. Our team of professionals is highly trained and experienced in all sorts of garage door issues. We will be happy to come out to your property and assess the situation to ascertain the problem and suggest a workable solution for your garage door and your budget. Give us a call to discuss your options.

 

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