Garage doors on average are used 2 times a day.  That’s over 700 times a year that the door is opened and closed.  Because of all of this opening and closing it is very important to inspect your springs periodically.  These springs are under intense strain and tension at all times and are very unsafe if they become damaged or are not maintained. 

There are two main types of garage door opener springs.  They are called torsion and extension springs.  Both are very effective and need to be correctly understood before undergoing garage door repair.  Each spring works in a different way and require different parts and design to make sure the that operate effectively and efficiently. 

Torsion springs are usually located on a rod directly above the garage door.  There are usually two springs that are separated by the center piece of the spring.  Torsion springs lift the door either manually or with your electric garage door opener.  These springs have a life cycle from 10 to 15 years depending on how they are maintained.  If one of them breaks you should replace both at the same time because they both will go bad around the same time.

Extension springs are located on the left and right side of each of the side door tracks.  These types of springs are much easier to repair than the Torsion type of spring.  There is still a safety risk however because of the intense strain and tension these springs are under. 

It should be relatively easy to know what kind of spring mechanism is installed in your garage by simply inspecting the garage door.  We would absolutely recommend using a garage door repair service to handle the replacement of garage door springs.  There is a lot of safety risk involved with these springs and unless you really know what you are doing you should totally use the services of a certified professional.

By understanding the springs you have in your garage door you should be able to make a better educated decision on exactly what repairs need to happen and will ultimately save you some cash.

Garages are used for almost everything which makes the space in your garage very valuable.  Try and stay away from cheaper door designs like hinged doors that open inwards which take up much of that valued garage space.  You can still buy a high quality door but you can save some additional money if you can buy a door that will work with your existing hardware. 

Too many people just buy the regular panel garage doors without thinking about the other options out there.  Did you know you can use your garage door as another window?  What we mean by this you can pick a garage door that has diffused windows in the top panel to let some natural light in the garage.  Anyone who has done any shop work in a garage can appreciate extra light.  Having some natural light in your garage will save you money in the long run because it will keep your electricity bill down since you won’t have to use artificial lights.

The third and most important aspect of buying a new garage door is to make sure it is installed to the manufacturers specifications.  Badly installed garage doors are very dangerous for children and can significantly harm others.  Most of the time when you buy a garage door it comes with free installation.  If the door you bought does not come with free installation, please use the owners manual and install the door according to the precise directions.  Test the door several times and watch all moving parts to make sure there is no additional rubbing or resistance.

Also make sure that you buy a garage door with security features such as remote control locks or keys.  Most people leave very valuable items in their garage which would be very financially devastating if they were stolen.  Most of the time your garage door opener will contain the features necessary to make sure the door cannot be easily opened from the outside, but extra security features can only help protect you in the long run.