Improving the Doors in Your Home

When it comes to protecting your home, the doors are the first and last line of defence. If you do not have a good set of doors in your home, you are asking for trouble. I discovered this the hard way when my home was broken into. The doors were old and wooden and not very strong. As soon as I had reported it to the police, I called in a contractor who could recommend some strong quality doors to protect my place. The contractor was great and I learnt an awful lot from him. I hope you enjoy my blog.

Telltale Signs that the Torsion Springs on your Garage Door are Wearing Out

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For most homeowners, the garage door acts as a veritable front door if you consider the number of times in a day the door is raised and lowered. Therefore, proper maintenance is essential if you want to get the most out of your garage door. In most cases, adequate support of a quality garage door will ensure that you get at least a decade of excellent service. However, the frequent raising and lowering action tends to take a toll on the moving parts of a garage door. Unfortunately, the torsion springs are usually the first to wear out, and they can cause considerable damage and injuries if they break. Therefore, it is essential to know if the torsion springs are wearing out. This will help to prevent damage, injuries and expensive repairs. Read on to find out more.

Door Drifts Down Upon Release -- As a garage door is closed, the torsion springs uncoil and remain in this position for as long as the door stays closed. As you open the door, stored energy in the springs allows the springs to coil back. This is the reason why garage doors will continue to rise even after you release the latch. However, when the springs start to weaken, they lose their elasticity and consequently their coiling ability. You can test this by lifting the garage door halfway and letting it go. If the door stays in place, then the torsion springs are still in excellent condition. However, if the garage door starts to drift down, then that is a clear indication that the torsion springs are getting weak and need replacement.

Garage Door Feels Heavy -- Garage doors are made from different materials, and some can be heavy. However, since torsion springs store a lot of energy, the springs offer a mechanical advantage which enables you to lift the door with relative ease. If the springs start to wear out, the amount of energy stored reduces, thereby effecting the mechanical advantage. At this stage, the garage door will begin to feel heavy, and you will struggle to lift it. It is advisable to hire the services of a professional the moment you notice the issue because lifting a heavy door can lead to back injuries.

Abnormal Gaps in Torsion Springs -- Upon installation of your garage door, it is advisable to study the anatomy of the garage door torsion springs. It will be easy to tell if the springs have a problem if you know how they look and behave like when in good working condition. Ideally, torsion springs are tightly wound, with no significant gaps between the coils. Therefore, if you notice gradual development of gaps in the springs, then you need to call a garage door repair expert. It is safer and cheaper to tighten the springs and eliminate the gaps early on than to wait and have to replace the springs, which is a much more expensive option.

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7 February 2019