Garage doors are a crucial part of your home’s structure, but unfortunately, they will always be prone to developing issues over time. Ultimately, all garage doors will need a replacement spring during their lifetime; it doesn’t matter if you’re looking at a torsion spring or an extension spring; they all wear out. The big question is, how do you deal with a broken spring? Is this something that you can take care of on your own? Many homeowner’s immediate instinct is to DIY all of their repairs, but before you go down that road, you should know that it can be extremely dangerous to replace a spring on your own. Let’s take a look at some of the dangers and risks that can be associated with a broken spring; some of them might surprise you.
How a Torsion Spring Works
Any professional garage door repair company like ours can tell you that a torsion spring works by using fundamental physics. The spring is twisted and therefore stores mechanical energy. Once installed, it sits above the opening of the garage door so that the attached cables make the spring wind as the door moves up and down. Keep in mind that while this is a necessary action, it does cause the spring to weaken over time. Torsion springs have a certain number of operations that they can withstand before they snap. Your manufacturer can provide you with that number. Every spring eventually reaches the end of its life and must be replaced. You can watch out for signs and symptoms of a failing spring such as the door dropping halfway after being raised or opening slowly. If you notice those signs, address them immediately.
The Risks of a Broken Spring
As you can see from the information above, torsion springs are responsible for holding your garage door up. A broken one could cause the door to fall quickly, resulting in injury or damage to property. Additionally, a broken torsion spring makes the door difficult to operate. If you find yourself in this situation, having a replacement installed as soon as possible is always in your best interest.
Why is it Dangerous to Replace a Garage Door Spring Yourself?
The internet has given us the ability to learn all about various necessary household repairs, many of which we would have been incapable of learning years ago. However, knowing how to do something from an internet video doesn’t always mean that you should do it. A torsion spring holds a considerable amount of tension, and if you don’t know precisely what you are doing, you could be putting yourself at risk for severe injury.
If you have an older garage door, it becomes even more crucial to replace old, worn, or broken springs. While newer garage doors are augmented with safety cables, meaning that if the spring were to fail, it would stay in place, older entries do not have this feature which means the springs will not only snap under tension; they can become dangerous projectiles. Flying springs can damage vehicles and even individuals if they are present in the garage at the time. Having your garage door springs replaced by the professionals the moment they show any signs or symptoms of failure is the best way to protect yourself, your family, and your possessions.
Call for Help Today
If you have noticed any of the signs of garage door spring failure mentioned in this article, we strongly recommend you call for Plantation garage door repair before the problem escalates. Torsion springs are dangerous to replace by yourself if you don’t know exactly how to do it and they are only one piece of the puzzle; there are also extension springs and several other moving parts that could be causing problems within your garage door assembly. A licensed and highly experienced garage door repair company can quickly assess your questions and offer an acceptable solution, giving you the option to not only have it repaired quickly but also correctly and safely. For more information and to get your garage door back into working order, give us a call and let us handle the heavy lifting.
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