Installing Overhead Garage Doors

We don’t realize how convenient overhead garage doors really are until they won’t work properly. These garage doors have powerful springs that are positioned so that they reduce the amount of effort needed to lift them. When you are installing a garage door, you need to follow the manufacturer’s instructions to avoid injury to yourself and others and to have a garage door that opens and closes easily.

Most garage doors are equipped with torsion springs with the bar mounted above the door. All torsion springs are tightly wound and can be deadly if they are accidentally released. It is important that when you are winding or unwinding these springs that you do have the proper tools and that you exercise great care. In order to remove old springs and replace new ones, you have to purchase two steel rods ay least 18 inches long. You should stand to one side as you work on the springs and never allow anyone to stand in front of them.

To relieve the tension springs on the back, you need to disconnect the garage door opener and lock one side of the door in its track. If you don’t have a latch on the door, you will need to use pliers to clamp lock the track in place. Standing on the stepladder to the side of the spring, insert the rod into the fitting and very slowly apply pressure to the spring. Using the rod to take the weight of the pressure of the spring, you need to loosen the set screw fasteners and let the spring come back about a quarter of a turn. Insert the second rod to take the load, remove the first rod and allow another quarter of a turn. By alternating the rods, you will safely be able to release all of the torsion spring. Then you have to do the same thing on the other side of the door. It is a long job because of the care that you need to take.