How Much Does it Cost to Repair Garage Door Springs in 2023?
With time garage door springs can wear down and then break. Considering a rather high repair cost - typically the price is somewhere between $100 and $200 - it often happens that replacement appears to be a more reasonable solution. Replacement can cost $20-$30 for springs plus labor which can cost up to $180. To help you determine if it's better to repair or replace garage door springs we have prepared useful tips provided below:
- Load squeaking noise usually means little wear - it's enough to lubricate springs properly. In case annoying sounds remain after lubricating contact a professional and ask him to check whether the springs should be replaced.
- Balance issues occur when you have to put extra effort into the opening and/or closing of your garage door. Please don't waste time and refit springs otherwise imbalance will lead to damage to other parts.
- Missing safety cables: A garage door equipped with extension springs instead of torsion coil springs should have safety cables that provide additional safety. The cables are necessary for the situations when springs break since they do not let the door fall. It's not a good idea to save on installing safety cables!
- Broken springs: Broken springs should be replaced with new ones.
When repairing your garage door please use the proper amount of lubricant to make the door run smoothly. Too little lubricant leads to excessive tension which in its turn leads to breakdown.
It's also important to provide careful and accurate tuning to the garage door springs - the balance should be perfect if you want to avoid squeaking and other noise. It's highly recommended to call for a qualified specialist who does such tuning professionally.
Things To Know About Garage Door Springs
The following basics should be considered whenever you have your garage doors springs repaired:
- Springs are part of the door. They are responsible for easy and smooth garage door raising/lowering.
- Springs can be very lasting. Usually, springs work for 10 000 cycles or so. It's natural that they weaken and break down with time.
- Springs are the part most vulnerable to breaking. Springs are the most often reason for garage door malfunctioning - typically they need to be either repaired or replaced.
- Two types of springs are available on market today. You certainly have either a torsion coil or extension springs installed at your garage door.
- Torsion coil springs provide additional lifting power saving energy for the motor raising your garage door.
- Extension springs act as a counterbalance for the weight of the garage door when it goes up or down.
- New springs for a garage door cost about $20 to $30 per piece. It's not that easy to determine the installation cost though. Different specialists charge differently for extension and torsion coil springs. The total price also depends on the time and effort spent. It would make sense to consider paying about $180 for springs replacement.
How to Repair Garage Door Springs
Garage door springs operate under high tension and it's obvious that your fingers are in danger when you do the replacement. We highly recommend leaving such things to professionals, however, you may do some small things yourself if you have skills and confidence. Such DIY repairs can include:
- Springs lubricating
- Spring tension adjusts when a door seems to be imbalanced
- Loosing/tightening screws and nuts in the spring mechanism
- Checking the cable installation near the springs
Making such repair jobs yourself you need to keep in mind that you will need to resolve the following issues:
- Finding a local retailer selling springs and accessories
- Selecting proper replacement springs
- The risk of getting stuck inside or outside of the garage
When It's Better to Hire a Pro
There can be many situations with improper functioning of garage door springs when professional assistance is needed. Any qualified specialist would do the following:
- Turn off the power supplied to the garage door to avoid accidental opening or closing. That's a typical safety precaution guaranteeing that your fingers will not get damaged.
- Measure the door springs for selecting the new ones of the appropriate size.
- Unwind the damaged extension springs. It will make the garage door lower so it's very important to exclude the opportunity of injury to feet, hands tools, etc.
- Install the new door springs and properly tighten them. After that, the repairman checks the balance of the springs and lubricated them.
- Wind up the newly installed springs and make preparations for garage door regular moving.
- Lubricate the door to ensure it goes smoothly with the new springs.
- Turn on power to the garage door and check if everything works fine with the new springs
Without a doubt, it's both safer and easier for any garage owner to hire a professional repairman. Finally, door springs repair or replacement can be a dangerous job requiring skills and experience. Minor things like tightening/losing screws or springs lubrication can be done yourself, however, it's recommended to contact a professional repairman for the rest.