Many jobs around your house can be done yourself or referred to your favourite handyman. One job that should always be left to an experienced, knowledgeable professional is any needed repairs to your garage door springs. Not only does this job require specialized knowledge, but it can be downright dangerous for you to try to do this repair on your own. Garage door springs are tightly wound and can harm you if you don’t know what you are doing.
There are two major types of garage doors with different types of springs. It is pretty easy to tell what kind you have based on where the springs are located. If you have an overhead spring, you have a torsion spring system. If there are two springs located on either side of your garage door, you have an extension spring system.
The signs that you have problems with your garage door springs will be different depending on what kind of spring system you have. If you have a torsion spring system, look for the following:
- Your garage door will not fully open.
- The top of your garage door gets dented without explanation.
- You notice a gap in the spring overhead.
- You hear a loud bang.
- Your garage door falls suddenly and quickly while closing.
If you have an extension spring system, look for:
- Jerky or crooked movement while opening or closing your garage door.
- A cable hanging down on either side of your garage door.
If you suspect a problem with your garage door springs, call a professional right away. If the springs fail completely, you may not be able to open or close your garage door until the repair is completed.