Quick answer: It is strongly discouraged. The springs are under high tension and can cause serious injury. This is one repair that should always be left to a trained professional.
If your garage door suddenly feels impossibly heavy or won't open at all, a broken spring is the most likely culprit. Here is how garage door springs work and what {state} homeowners should know. Our Tenafly crew is one call away at (201) 731-4080 whenever you need a hand.
A two-to-three-inch gap in the coil, a door that opens a few inches then stops, an opener that strains or reverses, or a door that feels like dead weight by hand all point to a spring. You don't always hear the bang.
If your door has two springs and one broke, replace both. They share the same cycle life, so the second is right behind the first, and doing both at once saves a second service call. A good technician also checks the cables and bearings while they are there.
Most modern doors use torsion springs mounted on a shaft above the opening; older or lighter doors use extension springs along the tracks. As the door closes the springs wind and store energy, then release it to lift the door. That stored energy is what makes a heavy door feel light.
Torsion springs sit on a bar above the door, last longer, and balance the door more smoothly — the modern standard. Extension springs run along the horizontal tracks and should always have a safety cable so broken pieces can't fly. Knowing which you have helps describe the problem.
Torsion springs hold tremendous stored energy and the winding bars can become projectiles if they slip — every year emergency rooms see DIY spring injuries. A trained technician has the right winding bars and the correctly sized spring and finishes the job safely in under an hour.
Can I replace a garage door spring myself?
It is strongly discouraged. The springs are under high tension and can cause serious injury. This is one repair that should always be left to a trained professional.
How long do garage door springs last?
A standard spring is rated for about 10,000 cycles — roughly 7-10 years of normal use. High-cycle springs rated for 20,000+ cycles last much longer and are worth it for busy households.
From a small adjustment to a brand-new door, we've got Tenafly covered. Explore our garage door services, read more on the blog. Call (201) 731-4080 for a free estimate.
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