As you may be aware, one of the reasons your garage door may not be working correctly can be a broken garage door spring. However, you may be unsure of how to tell if a garage door spring is broken or know what to do if your garage door spring breaks. Here’s what you need to know about your garage door springs and what to do about them if they break.
Types of Garage Door Springs
Your garage door has one of three types of springs:
- Most residential garage doors have one or two torsion springs, which you will find above your garage door when it is closed.
- Some garage doors — usually those with limited overhead space — have two extension springs located at either side of the garage door along the rails that stretch when your door is closed.
- The third spring is a Torque Master exclusive only to Wayne Dalton garage doors and the spring is hidden inside a tube located above the door when it is closed.
All three types of springs have the same purpose — to work as a counterbalance to help lift a garage door that can weigh hundreds of pounds. When you close your garage door, your torsion springs wind up, generating powerful potential energy that they then use by unwinding to roll your garage door upon command. If these springs break, it will be very difficult or impossible to open your door.
Ways to Know if a Garage Door Spring Is Broken
The most obvious sign your garage door spring is broken is that it’s difficult or impossible to raise your garage door. Another is your garage door opener lifts your door about 3 inches and goes back down. However, if you still have one functioning garage door spring, your door may still work.
This is a very dangerous situation to be in because operating on one spring will put a lot of damaging stress on your door. More importantly, if someone pulls the emergency release while someone or something is under the door, it could drop suddenly, doing serious damage. If you have one spring on your door, the cables will not stay tensioned and look like they are broken.
For this reason, it pays to know if you are dealing with a broken torsion spring. One sign can be a loud pop coming from your garage with no other noticeable source. Another sign can be that one of your garage door cables has come loose, even if it does not appear to be damaged. The combination of both of these signs — or either of these signs with a door that is behaving erratically in some way — is a strong indication that you have broken a garage door spring.
How to Prevent Broken Garage Door Springs
Although every piece in your garage will experience wear and tear, there are ways to prevent your springs from breaking and extend their life expectancy. The more attention you give your door, the fewer problems you’ll encounter with it.
You can help prevent broken garage door springs with:
- Regular lubrication: Rusted springs will quickly stop working. You should plan to lubricate your springs at least twice a year. If you live in a humid area, you may need to lubricate your door’s metal parts more often.
- Attention and inspections: Keeping a close eye on your springs can help you spot an issue early on. Pay attention to how your door opens and closes. If its movements are jerky or it seems to be straining, you should look at your springs. Additionally, you can start to open the door and stop it about halfway up. If the door continues to move, your springs probably need maintenance.
- Investments in quality: Always remember that you get what you pay for. It’s essential to look for repairs, parts and services from a trustworthy business. Choose pieces designed to last and opt for springs with longer life expectancies.
Typical Lifespan of Garage Door Springs
You can determine how much life your springs have left by the number of cycles they perform. Garage door springs typically last between 10,000 and 20,000 cycles.
On average, most springs last between 3 and 5 years. However, if you only use your garage twice a day — when you’re leaving and coming home — your springs will probably last longer. If you have multiple cars in your garage coming and going throughout the day, you may need to replace your springs sooner.
What to Do if You Suspect You Have Snapped a Garage Door Spring
If you think one of your garage door springs is broken, you should replace it as soon as possible. As mentioned above, operating on one spring can be extremely dangerous. You should hire a professional to replace the spring, as you are working with a part that is responsible for holding potentially hundreds of pounds in place, and this could present a safety issue to the untrained. Installing the wrong spring can also be very dangerous. Most important of all, DO NOT OPERATE YOUR GARAGE DOOR WITH A BROKEN SPRING.
If you’re located in the Portland, Oregon, metro area or in or around Vancouver, WA, our experts at Best Overhead Door will be happy to come by and replace broken springs. Just give us a call at (503) 620-1205 or contact us online to request service today.
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