Should I Replace My Garage Door Spring Myself?
Posted on: 14 September 2020
Most homeowners take a lot of pride in being able to repair and maintain things around the house. Between online instructionals and neighborhood hardware stores, it's easy to feel a sense of ownership over the place where you raise your family, entertain your friends, and live your life.
When it comes to repairing your garage door though, there are a few things that should be left to a professional. Most companies offer a variety of different garage door services, which means if anything breaks on your door, help is never more than a phone call away.
Replacing your spring should be one of those things that you call for help with. Not only is it extremely dangerous to try and change a spring on your own, but it could also lead to major problems down the road.
What Kind of Spring is On My Garage Door?
Depending on where you live and the type of door you have, you could have one of two different types of garage door springs: extension and torsion. As the name suggests, extension springs extend when the garage door is opened, and help to close the door once it's not in use. Though not nearly as common as torsion springs, extension springs are best used when there is little to no headroom above the garage door itself.
Torsion springs operate using pure torque. When the garage door is opened, the spring coils tighter and then relaxes whenever it's closed. Because of the massive amount of force that is contained within torsion springs, a safety cable is usually attached to prevent the spring from flying around if it snaps. Neither extension nor torsion springs are better than each other, but there are fewer parts on a torsion spring, which makes them easier to operate for people who offer garage door services.
Should I Repair Them Myself?
Absolutely not. Torsion springs and extension springs are both under a tremendous amount of force, and failure to apply proper safety measures can result in severe injury or even death. Every year, thousands of people visit emergency rooms around the country for injuries related to garage doors, whether from springs snapping or doors falling. Working on a garage door requires a specific skill sit, so unless you have the tools and the experience (and a license) to do so, it's better to leave any kind of repair to a company that manages garage door services.
For more information, reach out to a garage door company.
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