Warning: NEVER head in the garage!

That's the difference - I'm talking about torsion springs. That's all we use around here.

 

Oh, torsion springs. I have coil springs, and wasn't aware of much of a popping problem. But when I replaced a weak one (it had snagged a hanger and stretched out of shape), I did add safety cables through both of them.

 

ah, i thought they were inside a protective sleeve?

we use safety cables, but they don't stop the shrapnel.

 

Torsion springs don't seem to produce shrapnel. At least, I've never found any. They just make a ton of noise when they break.

 

Just to pile on with the retrospect judgmental commentary, Yes, I would say that's not so much a "Never Head In The Garage"...as a failure of spatial awareness.

But with a new car, in an old garage, that can be a happening that occurs.

Get it fixed, and then.....don't do that again.

 

That's good to know. I've got a vague recollection we've had one fail, but we've been here over 25 years, just can't recall.

The guy that replaced our opener last left me a half used spray can of lube. It goes on liquid and then gels. I've sprayed the springs once or twice, maybe that helps avoid breaking.

 

I was visiting a friend once when one of the garage door springs let go! It sounded like a bomb, and the damage to one of the structural 2X4s made me glad no one was near when it went! It didn't snap it, but it took out a rather large chunk, which would have been very painful had it been flesh!

 

Where are all these defective failure-prone springs coming from? And why haven't I heard about these supposedly common failures from within my own region?

 

Garage door springs are a fatigue item. They break with usage.

What is the Life Expectancy of a Garage Door?

"The door springs, which represent the most common type of repair call for garage door repair technicians, have a life expectancy estimated in terms of cycles rather than years. One cycle is equal to the garage door being opened and closed one time. Torsion springs, mounted above the garage door, are rated between 15,000 and 20,000 cycles. Tension springs, which can be found either above the door tracks or mounted on either side of the garage door, have an estimated life of 5,000 to 10,000 cycles. Bottom line – the more you use your garage door, the sooner your springs will break."

 

I've had two torsion springs break. both times they were not in operation. The springs just snapped, there was no shrapnel. I was home for one of them, sleeping. Sounded like a bomb went off. the other time I was out, got home and the door wouldn't open. Had to break in to my own house - I just happened to forget the house key that day. figures.

 

At least you can remember. I think we've had one go, but...

Too: I really think lube can improve things, could be friction between adjacent turns starts micro fractures?

 

Precisely why my house keys are on the same key ring as my car keys. What happens if the power is out when I get home and neither opener will work?

 

Other websites differ.
"On a 7 foot tall door, our standard torsion springs will last 15,000 cycles and our high cycle torsion springs will last 50,000 cycles. ... Extension springs last 15,000 cycles."

"Most residential springs are rated at minimum 10,000 life cycles and the life cycles increase from there."
Indeed, the cheap ones at the local big-box store are rated: "tested to open and close the door at least 10,000 times".

"Extension springs also have an age and life expectancy of 7-9 years [assuming 10,000 cycles at 4 cycles a day]. However along with the symptoms explained above with regard to “failing”, extension springs can often “fail” but never break. If you ever see gaps between the coils of your extension springs, they are failing."
Mine are this 'Extension Spring' type. Instead of snapping, they usually 'stretch' and get loose and weaker. That is a symptom to signal for a replacement, without catastrophic failure. BTDT.

 

since these springs go back 60-70 years or more, it's understandable. garage door dealers and manufacturers recommend yearly check and maintenance. almost no one pays attention.

 

Yeah, just like annual furnace inspection. Even I ignore that.

Hey, this thread is gaining momentum, lol.

 

I don't know your garage setup but I believe every expert says that backing in is safer. It's not easier to pull in because sooner or later you have to back out, all you're doing is delaying when you do the work. If you find backing in more difficult it's likely because you are not used to it but it's a routine that is quickly picked up.

 

Backing in is harder (and I'm good at it, having backed in both cars and trailers since I started driving) primarily because it's harder to judge when to stop. I have a tennis ball hanging that I simply point my nose at and stop when it touches my windshield. I can get within an inch of where I want to be - in both directions - every single time with essentially no effort that way. And backing out is crazy easy - just throw it into reverse. No need to steer. I got in that way so I know I can get out the same way just keeping the steering wheel straight.

The other reason I like to go in forward is because going out forward down my 10% grade driveway often causes scraping on the street when going over the curb. I have no such problem either going in forward or coming out backward.

 

i find backing in to be very difficult, especially getting the car exactly where i want it.
backing out is quick and easy, because it's a straight shot to an open driveway.
unless my daughter parked there, unbeknownst to me.

 

if you have hot water by oil, you can't ignore it. it' a couple hundred bucks every fall. when i had warm air by gas, replace the filter and you're good to go.

 

Yeah, we're forced air, natural gas heated. Luckily most of it accessible in a crawl space.

Four~five years back I started looking at it, the heated and return air circuits: what a complete mess, a testimony to completely lax construction inspection. I spent months basically hanging out in our crawl space, sealing (and in one case completing) the return air circuits, and masticing/taping/insulating the heated air circuit. Also converted all the return air intake grill to a kind that has filters.