It is a general belief that garage door opener is in charge of lifting and opening the heavy garage door. But contrary to popular understanding, it is the springs that do the actual weightlifting and maintain balance, whereas the opener is responsible for smooth movement of the garage door.
Most garage doors are equipped with torsion springs, tightly wound coils which are installed right above and parallel to the garage door. Extension springs, on the other hand are stretchable springs that are attached above the tracks perpendicular to the garage door. Both types of springs, in their own unique ways, work as counterbalance and help in lifting the garage door, in maintaining balance and in keeping the tension required for the door to open and close at a steady and safe pace.
Regular use can cause wear and tear to most components of the garage door and springs are no exception. In fact, springs experience quite a high amount of stress on a daily basis, meaning more wear and tear. In addition, humid and corrosive weather elements can shorten the lifecycle of the springs, which is also impacted by the weight of the door.
Damage to springs can spell trouble opening the door. It is advised that you don’t attempt to open your garage door that has a broken spring. Openers are not equipped with enough horsepower to be able to lift a massively heavy garage door. And if you still keep operating the door when the springs are broken, it can cause further damage to other parts of the door, including the opener and panels. It can even cause the door to come crashing down.
It is, therefore, important that you take care of your garage door springs and keep an eye on any sign of damage so that it can be fixed timely. How can you ensure the springs remain in good health?
Always make sure you have installed a high-quality and proper sized spring that can bear the weight of the garage door. Regularly inspect your garage door springs and watch out for any signs of rusting. If you see a visible gap of several inches between the springs, this indicates the two sides of the springs have snapped and moved away from each other.
Lubricatesprings three to four times a year and educate yourself on what kind of lube to use on springs as wrong kind of lubes can damage the springs and attract dust and grime.
Signs there is something wrong with your garage door springs
- You hit on the remote button, but door fails to go up
- The door is opening only a few inches, it is not lifting fully
- The door falls too quickly
- Loose or slack safety cables
- Springs have a visible gap
- More noise during operation
- Springs don’t re-coil like they used to
- Garage door that looks crooked
Garage door springs can be dangerous to handle. It is because tightly wound springs are constantly under tremendous tension. Sudden failure of the springs can cause serious injuries to an unsuspecting and inexperienced person. It is important you call a professional like Premier Overhead Co. for springs inspection, repair and replacement. Call us at (254)848-6088 for timely garage door repair in Killeen and surrounding cities.