Attempting to fix or install a garage door without the help of a professional San Diego garage door springs repair service is one of the most dangerous things a homeowner can do. Despite this being common knowledge, over 1600 Americans still end up in the emergency room each year as a result of DIY garage door repairs.
While risk of injury is by far the biggest reason to leave garage door repair to the pros, it’s far from the only thing you need to worry about. Improper installation and maintenance can damage expensive components, unbalance your garage door, and dramatically reduce its life.
In this article, we’ll discuss one of the most common mistakes do-it-yourselfers make: installing wrong size garage door springs. Not only is this a serious safety issue, having wrong size springs can result in various costly and time-consuming malfunctions. Keep reading to learn more.
Can garage door springs be too strong?
Yes. In laypeople terms, the job of a garage door spring is to counterbalance the weight of the door. This enables the door to remain at the correct height when raised or lowered, and to move at a safe speed during use.
If the spring is too strong or too large, it will exert too much pull on the door and keep it higher than it should be. For instance, a closed door won’t be able to stay on the floor, while a door that’s supposed to be opened halfway will be higher up.
To make matters worse, a spring that’s too big will cause your door to open faster than it should. In extreme cases, the door can open with enough force to knock children or unprepared adults over when they attempt to open the door.
What should I do if my garage door spring is too strong?
While it may be possible to add weight to the door to counterbalance the problematic spring, it’s not something you should ever try to do on your own. Your safest and most effective option is to call a reputable garage door repair company and have the springs replaced with ones that are the correct size.
Do garage door springs get weak?
Most garage door springs have a life expectancy of 7-9 years. However, if you open and close your garage door more often than 4 times a day (and many Americans do), the springs may only last between 4 and 6 years.
This is because garage door springs stretch and contract thousands of times during their life. This naturally wears them down and causes them to “soften up” and become too weak to carry the weight of the door.
A door with weak springs will move faster while going down and slower while going up. All that extra weight could also damage other components. If the spring is extremely weak, it may prevent you from opening the door, or cause it to slam on the floor (and on whoever and whatever may be underneath it) when you close it.
Where can I schedule a first-rate San Diego garage door springs repair service?
A quality garage door is a crucial part of your house that affects its curb appeal, saves you time, protects your belongings, and increases your and your family’s safety. For this reason, you should always have your garage doors installed and maintained by a seasoned contractor like Dlouhy Doors.
In addition to the full range of garage door services, we also have 24/7 emergency teams in San Diego that can quickly show up at your doorstep regardless of whether you’re located in Shelter Island or in one of the downtown districts. Call us today.