Know When To Replace Your Garage Door Springs

In most modern garages, look up to the ceiling and you will see two long coil springs stretched between brackets on the ceiling and the top of the garage door. These springs take on most of the weight of the garage door to allow it to be easily opened manually or with the electric garage door opener. The springs are critical elements of your garage door and they can wear out. Look for the signs that they need to be replaced and contact your local garage door repair service for help.

Opening Your Garage Door

Your garage doors can weigh hundreds of pounds, depending on their size and the material they are made of. The mechanism to open your garage door consists of a series of pulleys, cables and springs. You may also have an electric garage door opener. The springs are made of high-tension steel and are used to balance out the weight of the door. You and the electric door opener only need to be able to lift a few pounds to open the door because of the springs.

When Garage Door Springs Fail

If one or both springs become stretched out, they will sag down onto the safety cable threaded through the spring. In this state, they are less effective and the garage door will be harder to open.

Look for any cracks on the springs or stretched out connectors on the ends. Rarely, a spring will break. The force of the spring can send it crashing into walls or through windows. If the door is up when the spring breaks, it can come crashing down. If you come home to find that your garage door is nearly impossible to open, look for a broken spring.

Replacing the Garage Door Springs

If the springs need to be replaced, do a thorough inspection and maintenance of the other garage door parts, as well. Rollers, cables and pulleys may also need to be replaced to give your garage door system more years of service.

While the parts are inexpensive, and you need few tools to do the job, it can be a hazardous task. Because the springs are under such high tension, you need to understand how to protect yourself from being crushed by the garage door or injured by a flying spring.

Some home improvement centers no longer sell garage door parts because of the danger. Garage door specialists, like General Door Services, know how to do this work safely. They can make sure that the entire system is adjusted correctly to make the garage door as easy to lift as possible, while keeping you and your family safe.

Even if you don't see signs of failing springs, you should have a service inspect and adjust your garage door system periodically. They can do maintenance to keep it working smoothly, and replace any parts that may be on the brink of failure.