An average garage door weighs anywhere between 150 to 250 pounds, which is entirely supported by the garage door springs and cables. Non-coated garage door springs are expected to last approximately 10,000 cycles or anywhere between 7 and 10 years. As the garage door springs reach the end of their life, chances are you'll have to replace the cables too. As garage door springs are responsible for holding up the entirety of the weight of the garage door, they harbor a substantial amount of potential energy. If these springs or cables snap when they are being replaced, they could cause a whole lot of damage. In general, you should leave these repairs to a professional; however, if you feel confident attempting the repairs yourself, here are 3 essential tools you'll need.

Winding Bars

You'll need winding bars to relieve the pressure and strain harbored within the garage door springs. Every spring will have winding cones at the end with inconsistent hole sizes. You'll need to insert the winding bar into the hole and turn clockwise or counterclockwise to unwind or wind the garage door springs.

Winding bars typically come in three lengths: 18", 24" and 36". All are suitable for both residential and commercial purposes. Naturally, you'll get much more strength out of longer winding bars, and you should always use longer winding bars when you are working on garage doors that are at the heavier end of the spectrum. In addition to different lengths, you can expect the winding bars to come in different shapes as well. In particular, round and hexagonal winding bars are most popular. Hexagonal winding bars offer better grip and more strength. As a result, it's the better option to go with.

C Clamps

To replace the garage door springs, you must first release the tension in the springs in order to reduce the risk of it snapping or causing any type of damage. To do this, you will need to open the garage doors completely before working on the springs. Another essential tool you'll need will be C clamps. The C clamps are responsible for holding the garage doors in position as you work on the garage door springs. They are normally attached to the track at a point located below the lowest garage door roller.

If you want to confirm whether the C clamps are doing their job, you can try closing the garage door with your remote. If the C clamps have been installed properly, the garage door will not budge one bit.

Cable Puller and Come-Along Puller

The cable puller and the come-along puller are to different tools; however, they are used together to both unwind and wind the cables without having to remove the entire thing. You first need to clip the cable puller onto the cable before you attach the come-along puller. The come-along puller can then be cranked to wind and unwind the cable by releasing or adding tension. Together, these two tools will also hold the cables in place and prevent them from snapping while you tinker with the garage door springs.

Conclusion

When working on replacing or repairing the garage door springs or cables, it is important to take it slow. Make sure you wear some safety equipment and that you are familiar with the instructions. More often than not, you'll have to replace all of the springs and the cables even if only one is damaged or needs to be repaired. This is because the rest of the springs and cables will not be far behind in terms of their lifespan, and will likely degrade and deteriorate soon after. 

For more information, or if you'd rather leave the work to the professionals, contact a local garage door repair company like DSI Door Services North Shore. 

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