As mentioned earlier, a garage door spring is designed to lift a door which weighs approximately three hundred twenty five pounds. If one of these springs breaks it can cause significant harm to anyone in the area as well as to vehicles and other property stored in the garage.

When removing a worn garage door spring, the dangers are just as great as a spring breaking. The spring will become loose at some point in the process and if it slips from the tool you are using to remove it, can become a lethal projectile.

Likewise when installing the new spring, one slip will allow that new spring to also become a lethal projectile.

When replacing the garage door spring, the door must be retracted. If it is not retracted you are working against the force to lift the door and the normal tension that holds the door in place. When the spring is removed from its bracket, unless the door is supported in some other manner, the entire garage door is likely to roll down its track without the support of the spring. The significant weight of the door itself is enough to crush a human or cause major damage to your property. If there is glass in the garage door, the glass may shatter and be sent as flying projectiles throughout both the inside and outside of the garage.

As you can see, garage door spring installation is no job for an amateur. This is one job that is best left to the professional. A trained expert will not only have the proper tools and knowledge of these springs, as this is his job on a daily basis. They will be trained in the proper ways of installing garage door springs avoiding any harm to people or property.

If you are tempted to try this job on your own, you should at least call first for some bids to replace the spring. You may find that the cost of spring replacement is surprisingly inexpensive. Remember that even if you decide to replace the spring yourself, you will have to buy the spring or springs. You may also need to buy some special tools for installation that you will only use every five to ten years. These will add to your expense of the replacement costs.

Because of the garage door installation dangers, you should be sure that the contractor you select to replace your garage door is insured. If he is properly insured and any damage does occur, either to your property or the contractor or his property, you will not be responsible for replacement or health care costs.

Maintenance as well as inspection is the best way to prevent having to do further garage door repair. Inspect each moving part of the garage door. You will be looking for worn or loose parts such as mounting hardware, rollers or hinges. Each of these need to be replaced if repair is not an option.

Making sure that the moving parts are lubricated on a regular basis will increase the life of your garage door. Any good penetrating oil will do the trick. After half an hour for the oil to penetrate throughout the moving part, be sure to wipe each exposed part with a dry rag to remove excess oil. This will keep you from having oil stains on your clothing from bumping against an overly lubricated hinge.

Even the best inspections or maintenance cannot prevent all problems with garage doors. The torsion springs which typically are located on the wall above the door only have a usable life from between four years and seven years. When one of these springs breaks there will be a noticeable bang.

Replacing one of the torsion springs is no job for the inexperienced handyman. The amount of pressure required to install these springs can lead to serious complications for anyone not knowing what they are doing. If you have any question about your own ability to do the installation, it is time to call the repair person. Unsuspecting homeowners have lost there lives trying to mess with these springs, so seek professional know how.

One handy invention that has become very popular in recent years is the electric garage door opener. They offer security, as the garage door cannot be opened from the outside without the remote control. In addition the electric garage door opener adds convenience as the driver no longer has to get out of the car in inclement weather to open the garage door.

Garage door openers work great, until they don’t work. If you are having a problem with a garage door and need garage door opener repair, then check the owner’s manual. You will find troubleshooting directions in that manual.

If you cannot find your manual, check online with the manufacturer for an electronic copy. In this manual, you will find directions for needed adjustments to have that garage door opener working like new again.

Most problems with electric door opener problems are related to problems caused by a photoelectric sensor. It this sensor is blocked or has been bumped so that in is misaligned. This will cause the door to open but not close or to close only partially before reopening.

Additional problems can be caused by vibrations that change the force settings. While easily adjustable, you will find the best directions and illustrated drawings in the owners manual.