Is it time to replace your garage door springs?
Here’s how to know it’s time for garage door spring maintenance, and how to fix them if they need it!
The springs are what make a garage door function properly by reducing the door weight as it opens and closes. If the springs are damaged, the door works much harder, and consequently, it becomes weak. However, replacing faulty springs can make an immediate and lasting difference.
When is it time to change the garage door springs?
The springs on a garage door can loosen and break with time. A replacement is necessary when:
- The garage door opener works erratically or stops working altogether
- The spring appears saggy when opening the door (a loss in tension)
- The garage door seems to be crooked
Here’s what you need:
- New springs
- Winding bars
- Bolts
- Wrench
- Ladder
Garage Door Spring Replacement Procedure:
Shut the garage door, and then unplug the power cord to the door opener. Disconnect the power cord and mark the location of the springs with chalk or marker.Undo the old springs to release pressure on the door bar. Insert a winding bar into one of the cone’s holes.
Using a wrench, unscrew the set screw on the spring. While holding the bar in place, insert the second winding bar into the other cone hole. Repeat this step to ensure that you release all the tension on the bar.
Remove the bolts that clamp the fixed end of the spring to the anchor in the midsection of the garage door. Undo the set screws from the cable drums. Remove the drums and glide the springs off the door bar.
Fix the new spring and ensure the static side goes in first. Adjust the cable drum, then insert the bar into the drum and tighten the shaft. Repeat steps 2 to 4 for the other spring.
Attach the stationary end of the spring to the door center and fasten the bolts. Ensure the stationary cone is even with the anchor bearing plate.Wind in the new spring until it touches the mark you made in phase 1. Repeat procedure 5 and 6 for the other spring.
Important Tips:
- Ensure the replacement springs and the worn out springs are of the same sizes
- Don’t grasp the worn out springs when they’re in place or touch the winding cones because they might break at any moment and cause severe injuries.
Your garage door could last decades, but its springs will not. A stuck garage door due to a worn spring restricts your access to one of the most important areas of your home. Replacing a worn or broken garage door spring can give your door a new lease of life and give you many more years of service.
Want us to check or replace your springs?
As one of the most common repairs we do, we can easily tell if you need new springs and replace them on the spot. Give us a call to get started: 916-347-0211