Frequently Asked Questions

1. Is there a difference between the garage door openers you sell vs. the ones I could buy from Home Depot or Lowes?
2. What type of garage door openers do you use or recommend?
3. Our door feels really heavy, do we need new springs?
4. Our door came off the tracks and it’s 10pm, Help! What do we do?
5. What is the typical lifespan of a spring?
6. Should I replace anything else on my door when I replace the springs?
7. Should I use my door if one of the springs is broken?
8. My door only has 1 spring setup and it’s a 2 car garage. Should I replace it with 1 or 2 springs?
9. Can I buy the spring myself and install it?
10. If one spring is broken, do I need to replace both?

Is there a difference between the garage door openers you sell vs. the ones I could buy from Home Depot or Lowes?

The openers we sell are Liftmaster professional brand openers that are constructed with solid beam rail rather than a three-piece, butted together rail unit made for retail stores. The three-piece rail flexes and has a tendency to make a lot of noise and have many problems in the future. If you have a problem with an opener you buy at a retail outlet you will have to take it down and return it for the warranty. You will typically save $80 purchasing from a retail store, but it is not worth the headache and aggravation we have heard from our customers. We can furnish and install a professional grade opener for as low as $389 in about one hour and it will be warranteed for one year.

What type of garage door openers do you use or recommend?

We recommend Liftmaster operators for almost all of the jobs we do. Liftmaster has proven themselves to be the best, and most reliable, garage door manufacturer around. They have a full range of motors for every budget and application, with a complete list of accessories to go with them. Liftmaster offers chain drive, screw drive, belt drive and direct drive units.

Our door feels really heavy, do we need new springs?

You probably don’t need new springs, the door is likely out of balance. We can “add winds” to the torsion springs to make the door come up easier. When we perform maintenance or a tune up on your door, we adjust the springs, tracks, hinges, operator or whatever component necessary to make the door work better. We also lubricate all parts necessary. If the springs are extremely rusty, or very old, we do recommend replacing them. If the springs are older than 10 years, they’re probably nearing the end of their life expectancy. If you have a “tilt-up’ door, we can also balance those doors out by adjusting the pivot points on the hardware.

Our door came off the tracks and it’s 10pm, Help! What do we do?

Do not attempt to force the door down, the door could fall and injure someone. There is extreme tension on the cables and springs, so be very careful if you’re attempting to get the door secure for the night. If you can’t wait until the morning to call us for a repair, CityScape offers Emergency Service if you need us.

What is the typical lifespan of a spring?

Our replacement springs typically last 7-12 years. This figure is for normal use of the door. Excessive use of the door will decrease the life of the springs, and with an infrequently used door the springs can last much longer. “20 year” springs can also be requested for an additional charge.

CityScape uses 10,000 cycle springs that come with a standard 5-year warranty.

FYI: Some low-end doors may have springs that last only 1 to 5 years. This is not uncommon in track housing or with garage doors that have a single spring set-up.

Should I replace anything else on my door when I replace the springs?

If all components are deemed to be in good condition by the technician, then no. However, WE DO RECOMMEND replacing the lift cables when replacing springs. Sometimes the torsion tube may need to be replaced as well.

Should I use my door if one of the springs is broken?

DO NOT use your door if a spring is broken. Call for immediate service. Using the door with a broken spring can have many adverse affects: ruining or damaging the operator or top door section, door coming out of tracks, door falling off and injuring a person or damaging personal property in the garage.

My door only has 1 spring setup and it’s a 2 car garage. Should I replace it with 1 or 2 springs?

We advise using 2 springs instead of 1. It’s a better and longer lasting way of utilizing the torsion spring system (unless it’s a single door).

Can I buy the spring myself and install it?

You might be able to buy the springs online or from a local company. However, most companies won’t sell to a homeowner due to the liability issue associated with the dangers of spring replacement. We DO NOT SELL torsion springs except to licensed contractors, who are insured.

If one spring is broken, do I need to replace both?

While it is not mandatory to replace both springs, it is HIGHLY ADVISED. Typically, when one spring breaks, the other one breaks shortly thereafter. It will save you money and aggravation to replace both at the same time.