Do you have safety cables INSIDE your garage door opener springs? If they are old springs, they may not have the safety cables. You can buy them at the home store. If the spring breaks, it can cause injury or even death. Just take a look. If you have them installed, you can see it inside the springs. See photo below. Check now before one breaks. My friend had one break the other day, but they had the safety cable. No damage.
Keller Williams - BV - College Station, TX
Texas Monthly 5-Star Realtor Recipient for the Hou
Good post Ken!
In our first home (back in 1994), we had the torsion spring break on our HEAVY 1970s garage door. Fortunately, no one was hurt!!
Nov 19, 2009 10:49 AM
Maverick Realty - Owensboro, KY
Broker, Real Estate Agent Owensboro KY
Hi Kenneth~ Thanks for the warning about this! I will check my garage opener springs to be sure!
Nov 19, 2009 10:49 AM
RE/MAX Gold, Fair Oaks - Fair Oaks, CA
Fair Oaks CA & Sacramento Area Real Estate Broker
Hi Kenneth - This is a great alert. Years ago we had a garage door that had those big heavy springs and they were getting old. One day I opened the door and one of the springs shot up in the air like it had been shot from a cannon! Luckily it missed me and my car, but it put a huge gouge in the wall of the garage. If it had hit me, it could have killed me.
Nov 19, 2009 10:51 AM
Epcon Columbia, SC - Columbia, SC
Mapleridge Realty, CT 203-206-0754 - Waterbury, CT
Central CT Real Estate Broker Serving all equally
Ken, Useful post, something people don't think to do but every so often the springs should be oiled, especially the large torsion springs. Something as simple as WD40 sprayed and wiped into the spring will reduce the torsion friction and allow for easier compression and longer life. better
Nov 19, 2009 11:03 AM
Weichert Realtors Appleseed Group, 2043 Richmond Ave. S.I.N.Y. 10314. office phone 718-698-9797, Appleseedhomes.com... - Staten Island, NY
NYS Licensed Real Estate Salesperson
Check this reply from a friend, not a Realtor;
Had one of these snap in my other house and the little shelf over the garage door had paint cans on them. The roller on the end of the spring smashed 3 gallon paint cans popping one of them open and made one horrible mess.
I'll post more if I get them. Thanks all for the comments.
Nov 19, 2009 11:35 AM
Red Rock Real Estate (435) 632-9374 - St. George, UT
St. George Utah Area Residential Sales Agent
Kenneth, That is good safety information to pass along to EVERYONE to avoid a potential diaster! Thank you for that!
Nov 19, 2009 11:47 AM
Complete Home Inspections, Inc. - Brentwood, TN
Home Inspectons - Nashville, TN area - 615.661.029
Kenneth, You are right about a lot of older homes not having safety cables in stalled to prevent the garage door from crashing down. I do write this up. I will do a post on this the next time I see it... Helping you live your American dream...
Nov 19, 2009 09:09 PM
Bucci Realty, Inc. - Melbourne, FL
Eighteen Years Experience in Brevard County
I need to look at mine. My house is older and I don't think I have cables. Thanks.
Nov 19, 2009 11:45 PM
Homes By Cross serving Charlotte NC Real Estate Needs - Charlotte, NC
Kenneth! First hand experience with a spring, springing...with my car in the garage...luckily, it sprang and did not hit anything...lots of noisy! A few months later the other garage door did the same thing...we were told that you just have to replace both of them at the same time...the first guy, didn't think to share that!
Nov 20, 2009 11:26 AM
Weichert Realtors Appleseed Group, 2043 Richmond Ave. S.I.N.Y. 10314. office phone 718-698-9797, Appleseedhomes.com... - Staten Island, NY
NYS Licensed Real Estate Salesperson
Jane; What a shame, some people who are not qualified, do work that could cause real harm to peoples bodies, not to mention our property. These springs are like brakeshoes on a car. They need to be of the same strength for the door to work without jamming. Thanks for sharing.
Nov 20, 2009 11:40 AM
Valparaiso, IN
Great advice. We had the experience of a spring breaking a few years ago. Very scary thing! We were blessed that no one was hurt but it was a good wake-up call for us.
Dec 08, 2009 10:29 PM
Rainmaker
536,456
536,456
Kenneth Cole
NYS Licensed Real Estate Salesperson
Real Estate Resources
Comments(12)