Garage door springs

[CaptainBraap]

I had a sort of professional come out and replace a busted spring. I have four springs since I have an 8' custom wood and insulated door. An hour after he left another spring snapped the first time I opened the door. The springs are 10 years old. Could he have not put enough tension on the new one and thus put undue stress on the others. I messaged him right away and his answer was "that's not the spring I replaced and I had to go out of town because my sister's sick. This statement leads me to believe it could be his fault. Help/advice?

 

[Stuart in MN]

I think it's standard procedure to replace all the springs on a door when one breaks. They've all gone through the same number of cycles, so if one breaks the others are near or at the breaking point too.

 

[The Cobbler]

yup. very unlikely it was the installers doings. not much you can do to cause that to happen , except wear & tear from cycling and age.
just like tires on your car, when one's worn out, they all are ( assuming proper alignment etc)
both springs should have been replaced .

 

[jstroede]

If you only replaced one spring, that was a very bad idea. All of the others are soon to follow, assuming they are all the same size.

It was nothing he did, other than not replacing them all (did he recommend replacing them all?)

 

[nadogail]

If your Left shoe wears out most times you replace both of them, because the Right has also walked the same number of miles.

 

[CaptainBraap]

He did not recommend replacing all. He said about ten words the entire time and eight of them were forced.

 

[racecougar]

He did not recommend replacing all. He said about ten words the entire time and eight of them were forced.

Maybe he had other things on his mind? Either way, when you have the newly broken spring replaced, get the remaining two old springs replaced at the same time.

 

[Viper98912]

find a new installer to replace the remaining 3

 

[CaptainBraap]

Thanks everyone for your input. My door is very heavy and has four springs and I had one changed about four months ago so I'm having the remaining two done today. First spring was quality work but they ripped my face off so the other three I've been slower to act. I don't give the installers my zip code, just a genral area of Houston, until they quote a price because it's noticable how much prices raise when contractors hear where I live.

 

[racecougar]

Hope you heal up quickly!

 

[nadogail]

I sometimes feel that some labor prices double when they realize that I live in 92118.

 

[rayra]

Is this a tilt-up door? Because if it is I have to ask why in the hell you paid to have it done? It's a very easy job to do, once you get the door open completely you jam a 2x4 under the low end and it is real easy to undo the lag screw that typically anchors the lower end of the singlet or pair of springs - start on the side that has the broken one - pull the split ring and angled hangar off the top ends of the springs, hang and anchor that side, then do the other. Takes less than an hour to swap after you've bought the springs.

It's an even money bet that the manner you communicated with the guy told him you only wanted to replace one, even though it should have been both or all. One breaking is called 'a sign'. That you lost one 4mos ago and only replaced it, then lost a 2nd and only wanted to replace it is also another kind of 'sign' and doubtless the reason the guy told you he was suddenly unavailable for other work.

Garage door springs are ~$35? apiece now. especially given inflation rates, you'd be "saving" money to replace them all now rather than later.

 

[Farres]

The door spring replacement company’s are running a racket. While the majority of the cost is paying for their expertise and knowledge, their hourly rate approaches Madison Avenue lawyers. When a spring breaks, they have us over a barrel and they go to town.

 

[racecougar]

Is this a tilt-up door?

Looks like it's a sectional. https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/threads/finished-garage-build.503168/

 

[racecougar]

The door spring replacement company’s are running a racket. While the majority of the cost is paying for their expertise and knowledge, their hourly rate approaches Madison Avenue lawyers. When a spring breaks, they have us over a barrel and they go to town.

I'm sure it varies depending on location and whether or not you shop around, but here in MO, I just had two torsion springs replaced on a 16x7' sectional for $215, with next-day service. No complaints here.

 

[Dodge]

Just had my garage door springs (8 years old 16X7) replaced. Torsion, like OP. One broke, had both replaced $445. Service call alone was $290!!!! Took him all of 20 mins, in and out!! I'm in a small town in Illinois. I was told to oil across the top of the springs as PM.

 

[NORTON'S SHOP]

...First spring was quality work but they ripped my face off...

Yikes!!, that must have hurt. Pictures or it didn't happen.