After 3 to 7 years the springs on your typical garage door will start to wear out. It can be very costly for a garage door repair company to come in and replace the hinges for you. If your garage door is not opening and shutting properly you may need to replace the springs.
First, inspect the springs, do they look worn out? Are they functioning as they should be? If you can see any damage to the spring it’s time to replace them.
First, there are five basics you need to know about the springs before you order replacements. To order the right garage door replacement springs, you need to know the:
- Length or the spring
- Wire size
- Inside diameter
- Spring wind
- Type of ends that your spring has
Once you know these five things go to your local hardware store or do a search online for the garage door spring that fits the criteria for your old spring. It is recommended that you take out the other springs first and take them with you if you have any doubts about what to order.
If your garage door is automatic make sure the power is off before you attempt to remove the spring. Also make sure the door is closed, disengage the garage door by pulling the red string at the top of the door manually.
Tools Needed to Replace Garage Door Springs:
10″ vise grips, an adjustable wrench, and two 1/2″ X 18″ winding bars. These can all be bought at your local hardware store. Standing on a sturdy ladder removes the springs using the winding bar. You have to completely unwind the springs. Then when you get to the end use the screwdriver or vise grips to remove the spring and the components that are holding it to the door. When you have your new spring lay it down beside your old spring to see if it’s a match.
If you have chosen the right spring, simply reattach to the old the brackets, it should go in relatively smoothly. Simply slide the new spring on and attach to the hardware, then using the winding bars stretch the spring back out and connect to other side.
This can be a very dangerous DIY project, so take special care to watch for springs that may come loose, use a sturdy ladder to avoid falls, and do not try to pry the springs apart with a screwdriver this can cause serious injuries.