Garage Door Springs – The Key to Garage Door Convenience

Garage door springs are the tools that enable your garage door to open and close. The two basic types of spring are Torsion Springs and Extension Springs. Both springs are dangerous and should be handled and repaired by a licensed professional. Torsion springs are generally a little more difficult to work with than Extension Springs.

Sectional and One-piece tilt up doors come also come with garage door extension springs. Such doors usually weigh less. The extension spring is stretched from the top of the garage door to the back of the upper tracks. Although there’s a little danger involved, but extension springs are still safer to handle if you’re used to fixing things around the house yourself.

On the other hand, heavier doors like sectional doors use torsion springs. Installing torsion springs necessarily requires professional help, because handling them yourself can lead to serious injuries. In some cases, even deaths have been reported. For every door, two torsion springs need to be installed on each side.

Although some people claim that fixing or installing torsion springs is easy as a pie, it is much better not to take any risks. There are numerous tutorials that teach how to fix torsion springs, but it is advisable not to perform it yourselves. Torsion springs are capable of lifting 300-400 pounds, and that increases the severity or an injury.

When in operation, remember to always keep away from the garage door. In this safety concern, one should especially be more wary of little children who tend to get playful. All buttons used to operate the door should be installed in a place where it is out of the reach of children. This tip can greatly help prevent any possible mishap that might lead to serious loss of life or property, caused by the door or any of the springs installed.

The springs often become worn out or displaced. It is very important that you periodically check your springs. Also, if one spring stops working, the other one is likely to follow very shortly. That’s why it’s advised to replace the second spring at the time of replacing the first one.

Installing or repairing a spring can cost anywhere between $75-$350. To get the best deal out there, it is therefore better to shop around.

When the door is closed, that’s when the springs are most tightly compressed. So, if the springs fail during this time, no one is liable to get injured as the door will remain closed. However, significant threat is posed in case the springs fail when the garage door is open. When this happens, any unfortunate person or object right under the door can fall a victim to severe injury. In a way, it is advisable for people or objects to never stand under the garage door even when it is smoothly operational.

The life-span depends on the quality of the spring, as well as on the amount of usage, on the maintenance, as well as whether this garage spring fits the size, height and weight of the door.

Garage door springs are very powerful mechanisms. To ensure good safety, garage doors require regular maintenance and periodic inspection. In order to prevent any accidents, door springs must always be checked and replaced promptly.