Your garage door springs play a key role in the functionality of your garage door. They provide the necessary energy to facilitate its smooth operation. However, overhead door springs, while essential, also pose a significant hazard due to their high tension.
Functioning through compression energy, garage door springs effectively counterbalance the weight of the door. They make it feel near weightless during operation. Yet, a spring’s immense tension makes them one of the most perilous components of a garage door system. Sudden breakage or snapping of these springs can lead to severe bodily harm, damage to your garage and the door, or even fatalities.
Considering the potential risks involved, it’s recommended that homeowners do not attempt garage door spring repairs. Leave that part repair to the professionals. Garage door springs demand meticulous handling and specialized expertise. Entrusting this task to a professional garage door technician ensures not only the proper tools but also the requisite knowledge and experience to execute the repair safely. Your safety always should come before saving a few dollars on a door repair.
How Long Garage Door Springs Last
Because garage doors are so essential to the up and down motion of a garage door, they will wear out overtime. You can expect your average garage door spring to get about 10,000 cycles. One cycle is when the garage door goes up and down once. Of course, how long your garage door lasts ultimately depends on how many times you use the door. But if you average a door going up and down 3 times, you can generally expect a garage door spring to last about 3 years with regular usage.
Inspecting Garage Door Springs
While we don’t recommend repairing garage door springs yourself, you can inspect your garage door springs for signs of wear and tear. Look for any slackness, brittleness, or rust in the spring. If you notice something of any concern, call a repair professional. We can come out and do a detailed inspection and let you know if it’s time to replace your garage door springs.