How to Remove an Old Garage Door

When replacing an old garage door with a new one, you have two options: do the work yourself or hire a professional. If you choose to remove the existing door on your own, you have to follow a couple of steps and exercise caution.

When replacing the existing garage door, you will need to replace a number of parts but this may often include only the screws for the hinges or the worn-out rollers. The spring system may also need to be changed since their strength and size are based on the weight of the door.

An important point you should note is that the springs that are used in closing and opening the garage door take on the entire weight of the door. There is hence great tension on the springs and any uncontrolled and sudden release of the springs can be dangerous. Releasing the tension in the springs is the first thing you need to do.

Removing Extension Springs

When the garage door is opened completely, the tension on the extension spring hardware disappears. You need to open the door completely and lock its position using clamps or the locking pliers. This should be done to keep the door from closing. When this is done, you can go ahead and release the cables and proceed with the removal of the springs. Once this is done, you can close the doors.

For added safety, never remove the extension springs alone. The garage door can be very heavy once the springs are removed. Another thing you have to do is to place wooden blocks under the door so as to protect your fingers from being caught under the door.  You can then remove the panels of the door; start with the top panels.

Removing The Torsion Springs

You have to start by locking your garage door in a closed position. You can use the normal locks of the door or clamps or locking pliers. Go ahead and block the spring shaft using locking pliers that lean against the wall. You need to insert a single winding bar into one hole of the winding cone. Hold this firmly towards the top and then unscrew the screws.

Once the screws have been loosened, the tension in the springs will be transferred to the winding bar. You have to keep the winding bar tight to avoid any sudden release. Allow the springs to unwind towards you before inserting the other winding bar into the hole at the top. Remove the bottom one after the top one has been inserted properly and held securely in the hand. Continue the procedure until all the tension is removed. Afterwards, release the cables and remove the locking pliers or clamps. You can now disengage your door panels beginning with the top.

These are the key steps you need to take when removing your old garage door. The most important thing is to keep safety first. If you don’t have the right equipment or if you are not sure you can manage it, always allow a professional to do the work for you.

[xyz-ihs snippet=”additional-articles-garage-doors”]