Is your garage door becoming increasingly challenging to operate? Are the springs on your garage door emitting concerning noises? Do you spot visible damage or notice that they are broken? If you’ve encountered any of these issues, it’s a clear sign that your garage door springs need attention. It’s important to understand that garage door spring repair is not a DIY job. This is a repair that should be handled by a trained professional due to the inherent dangers involved.
There are Two Types of Garage Door Springs
There are primarily two types of garage door springs: torsion springs and extension springs.
- Torsion Springs: These are tightly wound coils of metal that use torque to raise and lower the garage door. Torsion springs typically have fewer parts and are generally less hazardous if they happen to break. Nevertheless, handling them still requires caution.
- Extension Springs: Extension springs expand and contract as the door is raised and lowered. They are connected to the tracks that run along the ceiling on each side of the door. Extension springs are known to be more hazardous. As a result, they usually include safety cables to prevent potential accidents in case of a break.
You Should Visually Inspect your Door Springs Regularly
Performing periodic visual inspections of your garage door springs is a good practice. Keep an eye out for signs of rust, damage, or brittle springs. If you detect any issues, it’s crucial not to attempt repairing the garage door springs yourself. Instead, it’s best to call a professional garage door repair company to address the problem safely and effectively.
Don’t Disconnect the Automatic Opener
If your springs break, it’s important not to disconnect the automatic opener. Doing so could result in the door crashing to the ground with its full weight, posing significant dangers to anyone or anything in its path. This can be especially hazardous if children, pets, or equipment are nearby. A garage door can destroy a vehicle, it can be fatal to any living being nearby. When it breaks, don’t touch it and call a professional garage door repair technician immediately.
Mishandled Garage Door Springs Could Have Lethal Results
Garage door springs operate under an immense amount of tension, making the heavy door seem easy to lift and lower. Working with these springs without proper training and tools can lead to serious bodily injury and end in a trip to the emergency room if an accident occurs. Due to the substantial risks involved, garage door spring repair is a task that should be entrusted to trained professionals who have the expertise to handle it safely.
To fix the springs, the cables must be disconnected. Damaged cables can be rusty or worn and easily break. Snapping springs can be incredibly dangerous projectiles. Your springs can snap at any moment without warning if a wrong move is made. Should the spring snap, the heavy and speedy cable could strike you in the face, head, or body. By not hiring a garage door repair company to tend to your springs, you could end up in the hospital with serious injuries.
It’s important to also understand that messing with the garage door’s springs could also lead to the door itself falling. Not only could this damage or destroy the entire fixture, which could lead to a replacement for the entire garage door, but it can also injure anyone in the way. When it comes to garage door spring repair, safety should always be the top priority. It’s a task that demands professional attention to prevent accidents and injuries. Never attempt to work on the springs yourself. You should rely on the expertise of garage door repair specialists to handle the job securely.