There happen to be two types of garage door springs namely: torsion and extension springs. With the former being one that is mostly utilized for repairs, you need to know more about it. Both are known to serve the same purpose of ensuring to assist the garage door lifting and having to maintain a balanced and smooth closing and opening. Mostly, the springs do act as counterbalances.
- The extension springs: They are the springs which are located above the garage door track horizontally, running perpendicular to the door of the garage.
- The torsion springs: They are the ones which are located above the garage door, running parallel to the opening of the garage door.
The safety when it comes to the garage door repairs
The garage doors can at times be quite dangerous if they happen not to be approached with a lot of care as well as caution. The Torsion springs tend to wind up with a lot of tension and can get to exert a large torque amount.
When working on the springs of a garage door, you have to use a ladder that is quite sturdy, ensuring to establish a good footing and brace yourself properly in counteracting the force. For those that don’t have too much strength of the upper body, there might be a need for assistance which will be required. Extra precaution like gloves and glasses are recommended by professionals such as the ones found at DoReMi Garage Door Repair Fullerton.
Replacing the garage door spring
When replacing the spring for a garage door, the following are some of the preparations:
- While the door is closed, you have to unplug the opener
- The opener has to be disconnected from the door by having to pull the handle which is normally dangling.
- One of the Vise-Grip pliers which is found on the vertical track that is above one of the rollers has to be snapped. It is a step for precaution in preventing the garage door from having to lift when the new spring gets installed.
Removing and replacing the springs
- On the remainder of the spring which is still holding the door tension, you will need to insert a winding bar in the winding cone and utilize the socket wrench to remove slowly the holding/setting screws. It will then have to release tension on the winding bar.
- The tension has to be unloaded until the winding bar points to the floor and pressed against the door. The second winding bar has to be inserted in the winding cone, pushing up and removing the first winding bar, then unloading the second winding bar until it ends up pointing to the floor.
- Utilize the two winding bards to ensure that the unfurl tension, a quarter turn each time.
There is a need to embrace patience, and not to place your hand on the spring to ensure that you have great stability. When utilizing the bars of the winding, you have to avoid them from your clothes and face.
- Once both the springs gets unwound completely, holding zero tension, you will have to remove the center bolts which pair the spring together
You can decide to source for the replacement springs online or from a hardware store or a manufacturer. To find a spring for replacement for the garage door should not be difficult, as long as you take measurements before and determine which type of spring that you require. You can as well purchase the extension and torsion springs online or you can also get them at various hardware stores.
But the spring manufacturers or the repair company for professional garage door might be a better option if you aren’t sure what you want. They are likely carrying the same spring that you require and will be in a position to answer the questions that you have before beginning the project of garage door springs replacement.
If you are out looking for professionals for hire in replacing your garage door spring, it might be best getting a professional to bring their own materials so that there is no discrepancy with the parts once you are on the site.
In case you decide to go the DIY style, then you have to do it with caution and care. The garage door spring replacement will fall in two categories of severity of hazards, depending on whether the springs are torsion springs or extension springs.