For garage door repair in Fairfax, Fairfax County, VA, call Carlton Garage Door Repair.
Spring trouble is the single most common garage door repair in Fairfax. The reason is simple. Springs carry the weight of the door, they wear a little with every trip, and a lot of doors in the city make many trips a day.
Torsion and extension
Most doors here use a torsion spring, a heavy coil mounted on a bar above the opening. Some older doors use extension springs, which run along the tracks near the ceiling on each side. Either type can fail, and either type holds a lot of stored energy.
How a broken spring shows itself
Often there is a bang. Afterward, the opener may raise the door a few inches and stop, or not move it at all. A broken torsion spring has a visible gap somewhere in the coil. A broken extension spring hangs loose. The door may feel extremely heavy. Leave it down and do not keep running the opener.
Townhouse doors wear springs faster
On a townhouse where the garage is the main entrance, the door can cycle many times a day. Ordinary springs commonly carry a rating near 10,000 cycles. Divide that by heavy daily use and the spring may not last as long as the owner assumes. Humidity speeds things up too, because rust pits the coils and creates weak spots.
The repair
We size a new spring to the door's weight, height and drum, install it, and wind it with proper winding bars. Then we disconnect the opener and test the balance by hand. A door in balance holds its position halfway open. On a door with two springs, both are replaced together. The second spring has made the same number of trips and is likely close to failing.
Higher-cycle springs
For a door that gets heavy daily use, a higher-cycle spring is worth considering. It is made from heavier wire, costs somewhat more and lasts longer. The technician can price both standard and higher-cycle springs so you can compare.
Prices
Spring repair in Fairfax: $170 to $320 if your door has one torsion spring, $285 to $525 if it has two and both are renewed, $160 to $340 for a pair of extension springs on an older door. We tell you which applies before starting. Phone (571) 736-2137.