I have a funny story about a garage door and springs. Years ago when I owned my first home, one of my garage door springs had broken. Not knowing much about garage doors I went to Lowe's and looked at the springs and found that the springs have to be matched to the weight of the garage door. So back home I go to try to figure out how much the door weighs. It was an old wooden door and had no info labels or placards. But it was a heavy door.

I had an idea. I latched the door open using the garage door opener's built-in latch. Then I borrowed our bathroom scales and set them right where the door would rest on it and give me more or less what the door weighed. Not thinking the whole process through, I pulled the release rope to lower the garage door down on the scale. Except, since one of the springs had broken there was nothing to slow down the door's drop. The door slammed down onto the scales sending pieces of the bathroom scales flying. The scales were actually bent in a U shape where the door had hit them. To say I was shocked would be an understatement.

Luckily, one of the guys at Lowe's who had sold quite a few springs recommended a spring based on the door measurements and the fact that it was an older wood door. The new spring worked great.

I also had an experience with one of the large round rotating springs located directly above the garage door in another house I owned. I will not go into this incident other than to say there was blood involved and I am lucky to still have all my fingers. There is a LOT of energy stored in those springs. I would HIGHLY recommend you let the professionals service these. They can be hazardous to your health.

I rent now and you are correct, it is comforting to know I do not have to be fixing things constantly. If something goes wrong, call management.

Those springs can pack a punch. A manufacturing company I worked at a lifetime ago had a large garage door that wasn't functioning properly. It was wide and tall enough for a truck to fit through. One of the line mechanics decided he would fix it. He started by removing the bolts holding the cable to the bottom corner of the door. The last bolt hit him SMD of his forehead. The headache lasted for days.

I had to replace a torsion spring for the garage of the house we currently own. I researched and studied what was involved and decided to tackle the job myself. The spring is precisely sized for the weight and lift height of the door. The torsion is introduced through the winding of a steel wheel in the center of the rod using two solid steel rods to "walk" the torsion into the spring using a precise number of turns. I managed to complete the job without incident.

I was told to oil the springs occasionally using old motor oil to get them to last longer. That was about 17 years ago. I recommend the oiling provided you can SAFELY climb a ladder to reach the springs.

I was going out to clear the snow off my car, but the garage door wouldn't open. One of the springs had broken. That was good timing because my son had to leave for work, but he wouldn't have been able to lift the door by himself. Between the two of us we got the door raised, and I blocked it open. I replaced the other spring a couple of years ago, so I know the procedure. I don't know why I pressed the button to open the door, but it's good I did. If I had cleared my car and taken off, he would have called me an hour later when he couldn't get his car out.

When you own a house, it's always something. I know people who sold their houses and are now renting. They said it's like being on vacation.

I have worked on doors 16ft x 16ft or taller and with double torsion springs many times and I can guarantee the springs had not been oiled since the had been placed in service, and were well over 30 yrs old. and oiling tension springs just makes a mess.
And why anyone recommends used motor oil to lubricate anything baffles the hell out of me, It's full of all kinds of impurities!!

I just checked for garage door springs on the internet < it looks like to can get any type you need, dozens of places selling them.

Those springs can pack a punch. A manufacturing company I worked at a lifetime ago had a large garage door that wasn't functioning properly. It was wide and tall enough for a truck to fit through. One of the line mechanics decided he would fix it. He started by removing the bolts holding the cable to the bottom corner of the door. The last bolt hit him SMD of his forehead. The headache lasted for days.

I had to replace a torsion spring for the garage of the house we currently own. I researched and studied what was involved and decided to tackle the job myself. The spring is precisely sized for the weight and lift height of the door. The torsion is introduced through the winding of a steel wheel in the center of the rod using two solid steel rods to "walk" the torsion into the spring using a precise number of turns. I managed to complete the job without incident.

I was told to oil the springs occasionally using old motor oil to get them to last longer. That was about 17 years ago. I recommend the oiling provided you can SAFELY climb a ladder to reach the springs.