scope of work
What do you need done?
the guide
Springs are not a DIY job
The springs counterbalance most of the door’s weight and are under high tension. Torsion springs above the door and extension springs along the tracks can cause serious injury if they are released carelessly, and extension springs should always run through safety cables.
What affects the price
Door size and whether it is single or double, the material and insulation, spring type and cycle rating, the opener’s drive type and features, and whether old tracks, struts or the header framing need work.
Test the safety features
Once a month, check that the door reverses when it meets an obstruction and when the photo-eye beam is broken. A door that is hard to lift by hand with the opener disconnected is out of balance and wears out the opener.
Rules and paperwork in Pennsylvania
- Pennsylvania’s Home Improvement Consumer Protection Act requires most contractors who perform home improvements to register with the Attorney General’s office and to give you a written contract for any job over $500. The registration number belongs on the estimate and the contract — ask for it.
- Pennsylvania does not issue a statewide license for this trade. Some municipalities register or license it locally, which is one reason to confirm requirements with your own municipality.
- Automatic residential garage door openers sold in the United States must meet a federal entrapment-protection standard: the door has to reverse when it meets an obstruction, and openers made since 1993 must also have an external safety device such as photo-eye sensors.
Sources: Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General — Home Improvement Consumer Protection Act; Pennsylvania Department of Labor & Industry; U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission — 16 CFR Part 1211, Automatic Residential Garage Door Operators. Rules change — confirm current requirements with the agency and with your municipality.
Questions to ask before you hire
- Will you replace both springs, and what is their cycle rating?
- Does the price include removing and disposing of the old door?
- Are the opener’s photo-eyes and auto-reverse being tested before you leave?
- What is your Pennsylvania Home Improvement Contractor registration number?
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a permit to replace a garage door in my town?
Replacing a door in the same opening usually does not, but widening an opening or adding a new circuit for an opener can. The municipality decides.
Why does my door go back up before it closes?
Most often the photo-eye sensors are misaligned, dirty or blocked, or the close-force setting needs adjusting. Do not bypass the sensors.
Should both springs be replaced at once?
On doors with two torsion springs, they are usually the same age and the second tends to fail soon after the first, so most technicians replace them as a pair.
the crew
Verified garage doors contractors
We are still onboarding verified garage doors contractors. You can submit a request and we will tell you honestly if we cannot match it — your details are never shared unless a verified contractor is available.
This trade typically requires a license or state registration. Contractors receive garage doors requests only after we have reviewed theirs.