Fact About Garage Door Spring Replacement Cost
As it is mostly assumed that garage door openers are designed to lift the door, it is essential to highlight the importance of garage door springs and what to do if you require a garage door spring replacement.
What Are Garage Door Springs
Garage door springs are considered the garage door’s muscles. It’s the garage door springs that are responsible for all the heavy lifting – not the garage door opener.
Garage door openers are designed to simply mimic the person lifting the door. So if you are struggling to lift the door because the garage door springs aren’t working properly, then the door opener will also be struggling.
A Standard Colorbond Garage Door can weigh up to 100kg! The tension on the springs takes most of this weight, taking the pressure off the opener. With less stress on the opener, it increases the life span.
Can a Garage Door Still Work if a Spring is Broken?
If the garage door spring breaks, the garage door cannot be used. Attempting to open and close the door will result in further damage and even costlier repair! The springs are specially designed, and custom made to counterbalance the weight of your sectional garage door.
Garage Door Spring Replacement
Performing a garage door spring replacement can be dangerous and should only ever be performed by a qualified garage door technician.
We never recommend replacing or retention of the springs yourself.
How do Garage Door Springs Break?
When garage door springs break on a sectional door, you can hear a loud ‘bang’. If someone is home, it will scare you! If no one is home, you would not notice the springs snapping, and this can be an issue.
If you were to operate the garage door with snapped springs, the opener would try to lift the total weight of the door (~100kg). This could burn out the motor in the opener, and it will need to be replaced along with the springs.
Reasons that could potentially lead to your door needing a garage door spring replacement are:
1. Wear and Tear
Garage door springs do a huge amount of work and should be considered a worn part of your garage door. Just like the tires and brakes on your car, they will eventually need to be replaced. It often is better to budget for this sooner rather than later as waiting until they break can be a messy and inconvenient repair. Another good reason to have your door regularly serviced.
2. Rust
Generally, garage door springs are made from a special grade of steel designed to best handle the workload, but being steel they can rust.
Rust on springs can cause the springs to bind and grab on themselves creating excessive resistance when the springs work and drastically reducing the spring’s life span. We recommend spraying the springs with a silicone-based lubricate, decreasing the friction when the door operates.
3. Lack of Maintenance
Most garage door springs will eventually fail, but correct garage door maintenance can prolong the life of the springs, delaying the need for garage door spring replacement. Annual garage door servicing can help prevent any destructive damage when the springs break.
Tip: To check if the garage door is balanced and see if the springs have enough tension, pull the emergency release cord, put the door into manual, and lift the door halfway. If the springs are in good condition, the door should hold itself up. If the door starts to fall, the springs begin to show signs of wear and will need a trained technician to come to assess and re-tension.
Garage Door Spring Replacement Cost
Garage door spring replacement can be expensive, especially if the spring has snapped.
Replacing a garage door spring is not a DIY project as it can be extremely dangerous if not completed by a trained technician. This is because technicians are trained in which tools to use, how to correctly balance the garage door, and full maintenance and servicing of your garage door.
The cost of a garage door spring replacement can vary depending on how many springs your sectional door already has. Regardless of how many springs have snapped, all of them will need to be replaced when the technician is on-site. The price ranges from $400-$600.
Our Local Garage Door Repair Technicians will assist you and have your garage door working in no time. Simply contact Centurion Garage Doors or book your garage door repair online.