There will come a time when you'll have to replace your garage door springs. Most springs are only capable of lasting 6 to 10 years before they wear out. So when the time comes, should you roll up your sleeves and get to work replacing those springs on your own or should you leave the job up to the professionals to handle?
The following weighs the pros and cons of replacing your own garage door springs and having an experienced technician replace them for you.
Valuing Your Time
One of the most important factors to consider is whether or not you have the time to devote to replacing garage door springs. According to Richard J. Kinch, it can take an hour for a seasoned professional to replace a set of garage door springs. Meanwhile, it could take significantly longer for a do-it-yourselfer to complete the same job, especially if it's your first time at the task. The more experience you have with replacing your garage door springs, the less time you'll likely need to complete the actual job.
Saving Your Pennies
However, professional installation doesn't come cheap. The average cost of a professional garage door spring installation ranges from $175 to as much as $600, depending on the company's experience, the type of garage door springs to be replaced and the quality of the springs being installed.
On the other hand, swapping your own garage door springs can be surprisingly cheap. The parts themselves are usually inexpensive and much of the cost that goes towards professional installation is labor. Getting the job done yourself could potentially put hundreds of dollars back into your pocket.
It's All About the Springs
Whether or not you should make garage door spring replacement a DIY job also depends on the type of springs your garage door uses. If your garage door happens to use extension springs, then you may be able to replace them on your own with relative ease. The process for replacing extension springs isn't as complicated or fraught with safety risks as their torsion spring counterparts.
Torsion springs, on the other hand, are a much trickier beast to deal with. For starters, there's always an element of danger present when working on these types of garage door springs. The torsion springs are always under tension and any slip during installation or adjustment could cause the spring to violently unwind, resulting in serious injury.
For this reason, it's usually a good idea to have a trained professional replace your garage door's torsion springs. Not only will they have the proper tools for the job, but you'll also get peace of mind knowing that the job was done properly.
Don't Forget About the Warranty
Another reason why you may want to consider a professional installation is that many tend to be backed by warranties. This means that if anything happens to your garage door springs after they've been professionally installed, then you may be able to have the company responsible make the necessary repairs or adjustments free of charge.
If you decide to replace the garage door springs yourself, then you may only be left with the manufacturer's warranty on the spring itself, as opposed to the warranty on the actual work itself. This means you must be careful when it comes to installing the garage door springs on your own, since you have to spend extra time and money correcting any issues that pop up during the installation.
It's up to you to decide whether you want to jump feet first into a garage door spring installation or have a professional take a crack at the job instead. Click here to learn more about this topic.
