People attempting work around their homes which would have been best left to professionals often results in injury. It is human nature to push the envelope and do risky things from time to time. We sometimes make a calculated guess about the outcome when we attempt DIY projects, although we might not stop to think about anything other than saving some money. Some simple garage door repair tasks might be okay to tackle yourself, but one that you should never attempt on your own is a garage door spring replacement! The full weight of a garage door is transferred to its spring system, which allows us to easily raise and lower a door even though it can weigh up to 300 pounds. The entire spring system is under extreme tension.
A torsion spring system is mounted at the top of a garage door with a tube running through the center of it. When this spring breaks, it stays on the tube, unlike the extension springs.
An extension spring system has a pair of springs that are installed over the two horizontal tracks. When extension springs are installed, they have safety cables that run through the springs to lessen the possibilities of the spring breaking and flying through the garage, causing damage or injury.
Here is why DIY garage door spring replacement isn’t recommended:
- The temptation to replace just one spring when there are two- If your garage door has two springs on it, then there is a reason for both springs. They both get the same wear and tear, so the other isn’t far behind if one has broken. It is not required, but it is highly recommended to replace both at the same time.
- Injury potential- A garage door spring is nothing like the spring in a ballpoint pen. You might have had fun watching a pen spring fly across a room when you took the pen apart, but the velocity of a garage door spring can cause significant damage and severe injury.
- It is harder than it looks- Repairing and adjusting a spring system should never be done by someone who isn’t qualified. To do this job safely, you need to have the right training, the skills, and the tools.
- You could buy the wrong springs- There isn’t a universal garage door spring. You must get the right ones for your system, or they might not work correctly and could even be unsafe. You could also buy springs that aren’t strong enough or are of low quality.
- No warranty- Leave the garage door spring replacement to a professional so their warranty will cover you.
When you want your garage door repair to go smoothly, call on us at Access Garage Doors. We offer same-day service and guarantee your complete satisfaction. Don’t take a risk by handling your garage spring replacement yourself. Please leave it to our garage door specialists to avoid damage or injury.
