Most people rarely think about their garage door torsion springs, if ever. However, these springs don’t last forever, so you’ll need an experienced torsion spring repair company to fix them for you. Of course, you could attempt to complete this task yourself but you are much better off entrusting this work to a professional. Here’s what you need to know about garage door spring repair and why you should leave that task to the experts.
Torsion Spring Basics
Although there are a few garage door styles that operate without the use of torsion springs, the majority of those in modern homes do use springs. When you look at your garage door from the inside, you’ll see the torsion springs up above the door itself. Depending on the size of your garage door, you may have one or two torsion springs.
Without these springs, your garage door will be incredibly difficult to open and close. Garage doors are much heavier than most people realize and it is the springs that support the bulk of the weight. Although the garage door opener motor does play a role, it just doesn’t have enough power on its own to open the door without the assistance of the torsion springs and will likely burn itself out in the process. Try to open the door manually without springs and you likely won’t even be able to get the door off the ground, much less fully open.
Most garage door torsion springs have a lifespan of about 10,000 uses. For a typical home, this equates to about 5 to 10 years of use before the springs will need to be replaced. There are some variations that offer extended lifespans of 15 to 20 years, but these are far less common. If you are unsure which type you have in your home, it is usually a safe bet to assume the former rather than the latter.
Identifying Broken Torsion Springs
When a torsion spring breaks, you’ll be able to see it just by looking at the spring. There will be a gap in the spring where the break occurred, as the tension has now been released, causing the spring to relax. If you happen to be home at the time when the spring breaks, you’ll hear a loud noise that many compare to a gunshot.
Most torsion springs break while the garage door is in the closed position. This is because it is at this point when the springs are forced to hold the most tension. It is a good thing that they are designed this way because that is a lot of weight to come crashing down from the fully open position. This occurrence is exceedingly rare, but still possible.
Torsion Spring Repair Costs
Many people wonder about garage door spring repair costs. The torsion springs themselves typically cost about $15 to $30 each, plus any associated shipping costs if you order online. If you plan on doing DIY torsion spring repair, you likely won’t need to spend much more on tools to complete the job.
In working with a garage door spring repair company, you should expect to pay about $100 for the labor, on top of the cost of the spring itself. If you need two springs replaced, the San Diego garage door repairman may offer a discount on the second installation, but not always, so be sure to ask.
Of course, there are always disreputable torsion spring repair companies out there that may try to overcharge you for the job, citing the dangers involved. To ensure you are getting a fair price in your specific neighborhood, ask for quotes from a few different companies so you can compare.
Torsion Spring Repair Dangers
Although the cost for professional torsion spring repair is not all that high, it can still be tempting to want to do the work yourself to save a bit of money. However, torsion spring repair is a specialized task that requires precision and expertise. Even with plenty of research on how to do the job, you are still putting yourself at risk.
The main reason there is so much risk involved is that the springs are wound so tightly. When one breaks, all of that tension is released at once. If you are close by when a spring snaps, you could be in for a serious injury.
It is not just the possibility of spring breakage that imbues this task with so much peril, though; choosing the wrong parts or installing them incorrectly can also put you at risk of being on the receiving end of that release of tension. If this job is not done right, the spring can come loose, potentially whipping you with the loose end.
If this sounds like a lot of risk for a task you’ll only have to complete about every 10 years, you are not alone in thinking that way. Considering the amount of time and effort it would take you to learn how to do the job safely, combined with the risk, most people find DIY torsion spring repair isn’t worth it. This is especially true when you realize a professional can complete the work in about an hour. On the grander scale, you are much better off just paying for the labor for a torsion spring repair technician to handle it for you.
Expert Torsion Spring Repair Company in San Diego
Here at Coastal Garage Doors, we are proud to include torsion spring repair among our services. We have done this job more times than we can count so we have the skills and expertise to help you out. We can assist you with a variety of other garage door repair and maintenance tasks as well, helping to keep your garage door opening smoothly for many years to come.
We are experienced in working with all popular garage door and door opener styles, and we work with residential, commercial and industrial clients throughout San Diego and the surrounding areas. We welcome you to reach out to us today for all your torsion spring repair and other garage door maintenance needs.