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New Windows: They Saved My Bank Account

I have to admit that I am very frugal, but I have to be with my large family. When heating and air-conditioning bills were just becoming too much to bear, I finally caved in and bought new windows that I was told were more energy-efficient. They weren't as expensive as I thought they would be, which was great news. I had them installed just before winter began, and I received the lowest heating bill for the month of November that I had received in years! I was so happy that I had those windows installed, especially after being so hesitant to spend the cash on them. I created this blog to help other frugal people like me realize that sometimes spending money on home improvements really does pay off in the long run! I am now looking into new home insulation to save even more cash!

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New Windows: They Saved My Bank Account

Garage Door Opener Machine Torsion Spring Troubleshooting And Repair

by Michelle Davidson

Your garage door's opening machine relies on a a set of two large springs in order to open your garage door. When there is a problem with the one of the springs, then your garage door will not be able to move freely up and down as it should.

The good news is that you can easily troubleshoot this problem yourself, so that you will know what to tell your overhead door contractor when you contact them for a service appointment.

Torsion Spring Basics

Your home's garage door opener has two large springs which are attached between itself and your garage door. These two springs are called torsion springs. The torsion springs use the physics principle of rotational force in order to help your garage door opening machine lift up the excessive weight of your garage door. Garage doors can weigh a lot when they are made from wood or metal, so a lot of opening power is needed to move the large door safely up and down. The torsion springs make this possible for your garage door opener.

Torsion Spring Failure

Since your garage door opener's torsion springs are under an extreme amount of stress at all times, it is not uncommon for one of the springs to fail.

If you are at home when a torsion spring fails, you will hear a very loud sound coming from your garage. It will sound almost like a gun has been shot in your yard! When you go out into your garage to inspect the problem, you will see the torsion spring hanging-off of the garage door opener, rather than being attached to the garage door as the other spring will be.

Torsion Spring Safety

Due to the spring stress, you should never attempt to replace a torsion spring yourself. The springs come in a wide variety of sizes, and it is imperative that the failed spring is replaced by one that is the correct size. Incorrect sizing can cause a life-threatening injury if the spring fails when someone is standing under the door.

Torsion Spring Replacement

To have a broken torsion spring replaced, you will need to contact an overhead door contractor in your local area. They will evaluate the issue and replace your opener's broken spring with the correct size. A door contractor has been specially trained in handling and installing springs that are under extreme pressure. 

To learn more, visit Overhead Door Co. of Everett Inc. 

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