Call Now: (916) 407-3443

How to Inspect & When to Replace Your Garage Door Springs

in Garage Door Safety, Garage Maintenance by elkgrovegaragedoorco

Want a well-functioning garage door that you can rely on all year long? The secret is in maintaining a good set of garage door springs. They provide the lifting capacity for your garage door — what makes a several hundred-pound door feel as light as a feather. At the same time, garage door springs are also extremely dangerous. They are under a high amount of tension and can cause serious bodily injury if they snap. You should always leave garage door spring repair to a professional.

How to Inspect Your Garage Door Springs

While you shouldn’t repair your garage door springs yourself, you should inspect them regularly for signs of wear and tear. This will help you stay ahead of repair issues so you aren’t caught off guard with a suddenly broken spring and non-functional door.

Look closely at your springs for any sign of stretch or slack. They should be tightly coiled and ready for action! If they’re not, this is a sign they are wearing out and may need to be replaced.

You also want to look for signs of rust or brittleness. Rusty springs tend to break eventually. A great way to ensure springs never get rusty is to administer garage door lubricant to moving parts. Purchase an oil specifically made for overhead garage doors instead of using WD-40 or any other “all-purpose” lubricants. Using them can speed up the rusting process, which can lead to significant repairs or replacement. 

You can also test the quality of your springs by inspecting the balance of your garage door. To do this, disconnect your garage door opener and open the door half way. Allow it to hang. Ideally, it should stay open in a balanced position. If it does, this is a sign your garage door springs are maintaining their tension and are in great working shape.

Additionally, speak to your garage door repair company about installing additional overhead door springs. An extra set of garage door springs will take the tension and weight out of the first one, allowing for your door to operate in a smoother fashion. Installing an extra set of garage door springs is relatively inexpensive. The key benefit of more springs is that you can expect less wear and tear on your overhead door, which will result in less repairs. If you already have two overhead garage door springs and find that one isn’t pulling its weight, it’s safe to assume that the other one will soon be in the same boat. The average garage door spring will last about 10,000 cycles, so having an additional spring can potentially prolong your door’s life. 

The Danger of Broken Garage Door Springs

If your garage door springs should break, you won’t be able to open the door, even manually. It will be too heavy and dangerous to lift.

The catch is garage door springs tend to snap when they break. (You’ll usually hear a loud bang!) The spring can come flying across the garage, which can be dangerous to kids, pets, and property.

Many modern garages install cables on the springs as a safety measure. The cable runs through the springs so when the spring snaps, it simply falls down the cable, safe and sound. If your springs don’t have cables, you might think about installing them.

That’s why we always recommend installing new springs at the first sign of wear and tear. A strong sign that a spring needs to be replaced is the first sign of rust. The same sentiment extends to other garage door parts. Keep an eye for anything that looks out of the ordinary periodically. This ensures you are never stuck with a garage door that doesn’t work — and prevents any bodily injury.

Safely Installing Garage Door Springs

While DIY repair is always suggested when dealing with maintenance, such as lubricant the door’s moving parts and springs, homeowners should steer clear of spring repair or replacing. Replacing garage door springs can be dangerous for those who are inexperienced as the parts are under heavy amounts of pressure. Repairing them without proper training could lead to the entire door collapsing, which could lead to an unexpected door replacement. This can also lead to injury as the garage door spring could potentially snap. Stay safe by hiring the best garage door repair companies in your area to get the job done. 

Why You Should Add A Second Garage Door Spring

Springs are, perhaps, the most important part of the garage door as they’re responsible for holding the door. Should the spring rust or damage overtime, there’s a high chance that it could cause your overhead door to come crashing down. Consider adding a second spring to help out the first. A second spring limits the wear and tear of one spring and should one spring falter, the other will be able to hold the door up. It’s the perfect contingency plan to keep your garage door safe and secure. If you’re looking to install or repair your springs, consult a professional as they are one of the most common yet dangerous repairs!