Most homeowners use their garage door multiple times a day, which can add up to almost a thousand times per year. The door will naturally go through wear and tear, especially if it is not routinely maintained or repaired. One of the most common repairs that garage doors go through is doors being unbalanced. Your door can slide up or down without your control, which is more than just annoying – it’s a safety risk. If your garage door is unbalanced and has a mind of its own, it’s crucial to get it repaired. Not only does this comprise your garage door’s security, but it could also lead to further damage.
To understand why your garage door might be unbalanced, we’ll have to take a look at one of the most important components of the fixture.
Faulty Springs are a Common Culprit
A crooked garage door is one sign of your door being off-balance, but the issue has more to do with whether the major components of your garage door are working in harmony. Your garage door springs are responsible for storing and releasing the energy that moves your garage door up and down. A malfunctioning or worn out spring is a common way garage doors are thrown out of whack. Observing how your door hangs when it is manually opened halfway will indicate whether the garage door is over-balanced or underbalanced.
If the door moves upward on its own, it is considered “overbalanced,” and tension needs to be released from the springs. If it falls down to the ground it is considered “underbalanced,” and the springs need to be tightened.Want to avoid future spring repairs? Ask your garage door repair company of choice to install a second spring to your door system. Adding a second spring will take the load off of the first, making your door operate more smoothly and mitigating the likelihood of an unbalanced door.
It should be noted that all repairs involving garage door springs should be done by experts. If your DIY garage door spring repair goes awry, you could damage the door and yourself in the process.
Avoid Future Repairs with Routine Balance Checks
As mentioned, tightening or loosening springs is a job better left to professionals, but by routinely checking the balance of your door, you’ll be able to spot problems when they are small, less expensive, and easier to fix. If your door hangs crookedly when performing the balance test, it could mean only one of your garage door’s springs is causing trouble. It is still best to replace both at the same time, however. Replacing springs isn’t too hard on the pocketbook. This repair runs somewhere between $150 and $350 in the Sacramento area. You should check the balance of your door a few times a year, but you can expect your garage door springs to last around 10 years, or 10,000-20,000 cycles.
When it comes to repairs, it’s important to seek out professional, licensed, and insured repair companies. Springing for the best garage door repair companies in your area will save you money and time in future repairs. Why? Because lowly repair services won’t be able to guarantee their work and are simply in the business of making a quick buck. Professional repair companies want to earn your money the right way. Your garage door is the largest entryway into your home and if it’s compromised, it poses a significant security risk. Do you really want unprofessional and uninsured companies working on your expensive garage door? Repair once and repair well.
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