Home Removal Services Blog

Any idea what the weak link is as regards security in a great many homes? It’s actually a door; in particular the largest door in the home and one that the average thief can usually open in less than ten seconds.

It turns out (according to the Chamberlain Garage Trends Survey) that these days this specific door is used by about two thirds of homeowners as their primary entrance and furthermore, a third of the survey sample place such trust in this door that they don’t bother to lock the internal door(s) past this one.

We’re talking of course about garage doors. These have now taken over from the traditional main entrance door as the most frequently used entrance to a house. The fact that many now enter and leave their property by car plus the advent of electronically controlled motorized door openers has of undoubtedly played a major role in this trend.

Unfortunately it turns out that garage doors are extremely straightforward to pry open. Not even those sporting mechanized opener systems and fancy electronic controls pose much of a problem to the average burglar. And of course once an intruder is effectively concealed with the garage they can start breaking into the house proper via the adjoining door (which as we discovered earlier often requires no more effort than trying the handle).

If your garage door has poor security then it renders the window bolts and deadlocks you may have fitted elsewhere more or less redundant. And even if you are the type to actually lock the internal garage to house door, the fact is that your garage provides perfect shelter for any intruder to set about breaking in to your home (quite possibly using any tools you might store in the garage to help them).

So how best to fix this? Securing your garage doors would seem to be a good place to start. A fairly straightforward and low-cost measure to consider is installing (and actually using) a garage deadbolt to at least deter opportunistic break-ins.

But for high quality security you should think about fitting secure garage doors. Some of the best examples look for all the world like conventional wooden garage doors but conceal an internal core of reinforced steel plates and rods, and are able to withstand a sustained attack from experienced burglar using a variety of tools and considerable force.

Needless to say, there are costs as well as benefits and getting the balance right on security is often a matter of personal judgement. The plus side of proper garage security includes obviously better protection for your possessions and loved ones; possibly reduced insurance costs and increased property value; and lastly more opportunities to use the space in the knowledge that it is secure.

If you found this article interesting then be sure to check out this additional article about eco wooden garage doors.

Garage door springs are the mechanisms that open the garage doors. There are two kinds: extension springs and torsion springs, with the latter being the most dangerous ones.

Sectional and One-piece tilt up doors come also come with garage door extension springs. Such doors usually weigh less. The extension spring is stretched from the top of the garage door to the back of the upper tracks. Although there’s a little danger involved, but extension springs are still safer to handle if you’re used to fixing things around the house yourself.

Garage door torsion springs are usually used for heavier doors, including sectional doors. Torsion springs are located above the door, two of them on each side. These springs are extremely dangerous, and there have been numerous reported injuries and even deaths related to torsion springs. You absolutely need the help of a professional, if you want to install or to repair this type of a door spring.

Handling a garage door that uses torsion springs is a serious matter. Such a garage door weighs a massive 300-400 pounds, and surely, springs that handle such weight are capable of extreme compression and extension. It is to be noted that such instruments have had a history of imparting serious head injury.

When in operation, remember to always keep away from the garage door. In this safety concern, one should especially be more wary of little children who tend to get playful. All buttons used to operate the door should be installed in a place where it is out of the reach of children. This tip can greatly help prevent any possible mishap that might lead to serious loss of life or property, caused by the door or any of the springs installed.

It is advisable to keep a check on the conditions of your garage door springs regularly, as they do tend to get worn out with time. At the time of replacing one damaged spring, it is recommended to replace the second one too, because the first one getting rusty means the second will follow suit.

Installing or repairing your springs will cost anywhere from $75 to $350, so be sure to shop around to get the best deal.

When the door is closed, that’s when the springs are most tightly compressed. So, if the springs fail during this time, no one is liable to get injured as the door will remain closed. However, significant threat is posed in case the springs fail when the garage door is open. When this happens, any unfortunate person or object right under the door can fall a victim to severe injury. In a way, it is advisable for people or objects to never stand under the garage door even when it is smoothly operational.

The durability of the garage door spring is governed by many factors such as the frequency of usage, maintenance, compatibility with the garage door, and of course, the quality of the spring itself.

Garage door springs are extremely powerful, but also extremely dangerous mechanisms. No matter what kind of springs you have, both the door and the springs have to be maintained in a very good order and periodically inspected. You should try to schedule regular routine inspections to prevent any accidents caused by the door spring breaking. If you are thinking of replacing broken springs (especially torsion springs), remember the incredible twisting force of such springs.

Adam knows a lot about garage door springs and garage spring mechanisms.