When one of the torsion springs on my garage door broke, I knew it needed to be fixed right away. Those springs harbor a lot of power and tension, so leaving one broken is a safety hazard. I called around for estimates to have a pro replace it, but the quotes were well over $300 each! That’s when I decided to attempt the job myself after watching some YouTube videos on garage door spring replacement.
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Gathering The Tools and Parts
The videos made the process seem straightforward as long as I took my time. I went to the hardware store to pick up some new springs, alignment brackets, and basic tools like a socket wrench set, pliers, and work gloves. Coming in at under $100 for all the supplies, I was ready to give it a go and save a small fortune compared to the repair quotes.
Safely Removing The Old Springs
With the door in the fully open position, I began by using locking pliers to securely hold the old broken spring in place as I removed the end torsion bar. Slowly, carefully unwinding it was tricky but went according to plan. I removed both sides in the same manner, being extra diligent not to let the springs suddenly unwind on their own. Proper safety precautions like gloves helped prevent injury.
Installing The New Springs
Installing the new springs went much smoother. I carefully wound each one into position a 1/4 turn at a time, double checking the alignment as I went. New mounting brackets were screwed into place to secure the spring ends. Once fully wound, I gave the door a test run and it moved smoothly up and down on the tracks with the appropriate tension and balance.
A Job Well Done – And Money Saved
Doing the spring replacement myself definitely took more time than a garage door pro could knock it out in. But being able to complete such a potentially dangerous repair without issue saved me well over $200! As long as homeowners feel comfortable with mechanical tasks, many garage door repairs are certainly DIY-able. Just use caution and watch videos from experts. Still, if a job seems too much, calling ‘Garage Door Spring Repair in Suffolk‘ ensures it’s done right by certified technicians.
So in the end, I’m glad I took on the project. It prevented having to shell out a bunch of money and gave me confidence to handle basic garage door maintenance myself going forward. Just be sure to exercise care and watch online guides if taking on DIY repairs for your door’s workings.
Christine Kelley is a dedicated home blogger who has been blogging for over six years. She covers everything home related. Christine also loves writing posts about her travels to Europe with her husband and two children.