Garage door springs are a common part of the door opening mechanism. They allow a heavy garage door to be raised with little effort by storing energy in the coils of metal. When things don’t work well it would be considered a good time for an emergency garage door repair. Before starting your Garage Door Spring Replacement, there are some things you should know.
You shouldn’t just jump in before knowing these facts. We will include some facts about garage door springs, some tips on how to replace them, and how you can find a professional company to do the Garage Door Spring Replacement for you.
It’s difficult to raise a garage door without springs
Springs are the most important part of a garage door. They’re what makes it go up and down, open and close, and generally function properly. If your springs are broken, you can’t just take out the batteries in your remote control to get your garage door opener to work.
When springs break or become ineffective over time due to wear and tear (or age), they need to be replaced. Replace them with new springs that have the same strength as the original springs. Replacing just one broken spring is not enough. Replacing all four of them will ensure that your garage door works like new again.
There are two types of springs: Extension (off-set helical) and Torsion (helical)
Extension springs are used to lift the door. They’re located on either side of the garage door and are attached at each end of the spring with Hooks or Clevis’s. The ends of an extension spring attach to a Trolley. This is then connected to an Arm that holds up your garage door. It allows it to move up and down.
Torsion springs counterbalance the weight of your garage door in order to keep it balanced when it’s going up or down. These torsion springs run along both sides of your garage door track, just like extension springs do. However, torsion springs have coils that wrap around a center rod instead of being coiled into loops like extension springs.
The size, length, and diameter of the torsion spring will determine the weight it can carry
Torsion springs come in different sizes and weights. A common question we are asked is what size torsion spring to buy for a garage door. The answer depends on several factors including door weight and space available for installation. For example, if you have an 8 ft tall by 16 ft wide door with a 1/2-inch thick sectional track system (equal to 1-1/2 inches total). You will need a 5-foot-long garage door torsion spring with a 3/8″ diameter. This type of garage door should weigh between 280-300 pounds. Especially when fully loaded with items inside that may cause pressure against the top portion of your garage doors.
As well as any additional components such as rollers or tracks installed along each side panel edge area. They are located near where each panel meets at their center point where both halves meet up together. Make sure they are in place before lifting them upward off its hinges so you can open them (make sure nothing obstructs this movement though).
Most torsion springs have a lifespan of just about 10,000 cycles (raising/lowering the door)
The lifespan of your torsion spring depends on the size of the spring. The larger the diameter and length, the more cycles it can handle. However, another factor that determines how many times a torsion spring will last is its weight rating.
Garage doors with a higher weight rating require stronger springs to hold them up and keep them from breaking or damaging anything near them when they’re brought up all at once. If you have a heavy garage door, then you’ll need a large torque spring capable of handling all that extra weight.
Just in case you have smaller springs then you may only need to replace your smaller springs every few years or so. This is better than having a whole new set installed every time one breaks down completely (which isn’t very often).
If your garage door has one spring at the center, it is safer to replace it. In any case, you have two springs on either side of the door opening keep in mind that they must be replaced with a pair.
If you have one spring and it is broken or worn down, you will need to replace it with a new one of the same size and length. Just in case this is not possible then the spring may need to be shortened by removing coils from its length.
If you have two springs that are broken or worn down and are not identical in size, then replace them both with new ones of equal strength.
You need to know several things before buying replacement springs for your Garage Door Spring Replacement
You’ll need to know the weight of your door. You can do this by taking a tape measure or ruler and measuring the distance from the floor to ceiling. Divide that number by 3.14 (pi) for the approximate weight of your door.
To calculate the spring size and length, you will need to determine how much tension is currently on your springs. To do so, open both sides of the garage door halfway and attach a string from one side to the other inside each spring’s eyelet hook. Pull down on each string until it becomes taut. Mark where they cross in order to keep track of them as you work with them later on in your project.
Garage doors have different spring sizes and lengths based on what will be best for them
Garage doors have different springs based on the weight of the door and its width. For example, if you have a new garage door that’s 8 feet wide and 8 feet tall, you’ll want to get a spring with around 16 coils per foot. The number of coils in each spring can vary. This depends on what kind of garage door you have (like wooden or metal), as well as how high/low it is off the ground.
The length of these springs usually comes down to personal preference as well. Longer springs will give your garage door more strength and durability while shorter ones may be easier to use when opening or closing it manually. However, they also tend to wear out faster since there’s less support holding up all that weight.
Heavy wooden garage doors usually have screws in place of rollers to assist in lifting them up
If you have a wooden garage door that’s heavy, the screws on your hinges may be in place of rollers to assist in lifting it up. This is because the tension from either one or several springs will provide enough force to lift the door with minimal effort from you or your car. So if you’re experiencing trouble opening your garage door by hand, this could be why.
If this seems like it’s not working for you and there’s no obvious reason for why it wouldn’t (like rust or corrosion), then it might be time for some repair work!
How to search for a company to do your Garage Door Spring Replacement
Choosing the right company to replace your garage door spring can be hard. There are a lot of companies out there, and their prices and services can vary greatly. It’s best to do your research before you choose a contractor. This is to make sure you’re not wasting money on poor service or shoddy parts, Here are some tips for finding the perfect replacement company.
Check their website
Before you decide to hire a garage door spring company, there are a few things you should look for on their website. The first thing is that it’s easy to navigate. If the site is hard to get around or doesn’t have a contact form, that could be an indication that they don’t want customers calling them directly.
A good sign would be if the site has clear pricing information as well as other helpful features. Examples of these are an FAQ section and/or blog posts about common issues with garage doors.
Read Google reviews
Especially in the age of the internet, it can be hard to know who you can trust. Google reviews are one way to find out about a company and how people feel about it. You’ll want to check reviews from sites like Yelp, Angie’s List, or even Facebook. You can also search LinkedIn for employees or former employees who have worked at these companies. Ask them if they would recommend their service.
While Google reviews may not be perfect and some may claim they’re biased. There have been instances where businesses paid for positive reviews. They’re still a good way to gauge customer satisfaction with certain products or services in general.
Check their social media pages
First, check the company’s social media pages. Make sure to look at their Facebook page, Twitter account, and Instagram page. On these pages, you’ll want to find reviews from former customers. You should also check for pictures of all the work they’ve done in the past.
Look for complaints or any negative comments about the company on any of these social media platforms as well. You’re looking for anything that can give you insight into who this company is. Look at how good they are at doing business with their clients.
Find out if they have a physical location
With so many companies offering garage door spring replacement services, it can be difficult to decide which one to choose. One way that you can determine if a company is qualified for the task is by looking at its background, experience, and training. Make sure your chosen company has been in business for several years. It will be safer if they have a physical location rather than working from a van.
When you visit their location, find out if it’s clean and well organized. A reputable company will have all the necessary tools on hand as well as plenty of storage space for parts. They shouldn’t have piles of old equipment lying around everywhere like some kind of junkyard. Next, talk with their owner or manager about their history. Ask how long they’ve been in business. Or, how many doors they’ve replaced over the years. How many customers have been satisfied with their workmanship? Ask what certifications they hold. All these things will tell you whether this technician or company knows what they’re doing or just trying to take advantage of vulnerable homeowners who don’t know any better.
Make sure they have clear pricing information
Make sure they have a price structure that makes sense. When browsing their website and talking with them over the phone or in person, ask about their pricing structure. Make sure it makes sense by comparing it to other companies’ prices.
If there is an extra fee for something like an old garage door, make sure you understand why this is necessary and if it would be worth paying more for a new one instead of paying more for repairs on an older one.
BCS Overhead Door can do your Garage Door Spring Replacement so you don’t have to
Hopefully, this article has helped you understand how to find the right garage door spring replacement company for your needs. We know that finding a good one can be difficult and stressful, but with these tips, you’ll have an easier time with it.
Garage doors are a part of the home that needs to be taken care of and maintained. If you have any questions about Garage Door Spring Replacement or need more information, feel free to contact us at (979) 218-9213. We will be more than happy to help you do your Garage Door Spring replacement for you. We can also help you with any of your Garage Door related needs in and around College Station, Texas.
