The springs are one of the most important parts of a garage door system. The purpose of garage door springs is to help lift the weight of the door so that the opener doesn’t have to do all of the work. They do this by storing energy in the form of tension that they then release to help the opener easily open the door. That means they are under full tension when the door is closed and then continually release the tension as the door opens.
Although garage door springs can last for quite a few years, they always wear out eventually and may end up breaking. Replacing the springs when they’re wearing out and before they break is important for ensuring that your automatic opener can also open and close the door as needed. Another reason is that worn-out springs can shorten the lifespan of the opener since the issue forces the opener motor to do all the heavy lifting.
Torsion vs. Extension Springs
The first step in knowing if your garage door springs need to be replaced is to determine which type they are. That’s because some of the signs of wear and breakage are different for each type of spring. It’s easy to tell what type of springs your garage door has just by noting where they’re located and what they look like.
Torsion springs are coils or cylinders located next to the wall above the garage door, and they spin or twist as the door opens and closes. Extension springs are longer, smaller metal coils, and there will always be one coil located above or next to each of the two tracks. This type of spring stretches out as the door closes so that it is under tension, and it then contracts as the door moves up to help lift it.
How to Know if Torsion Springs Need Replacing
One sign that can definitely indicate your garage door has a broken spring is if you suddenly can’t get it to open. Other signs that the springs are wearing out are if the door opens and closes slowly or with a jerking motion or if it makes a loud squeaking noise as it moves. When the springs are wearing out, you’ll also typically hear the opener making more noise since it has to work much harder to lift the door. However, this can also happen for other reasons, such as if the garage door opener is worn out. Luckily, there are a few steps you can take that will usually help you determine if the problem is related to a broken spring.
The first thing you need to do is to pull the cord on the carriage to disconnect the door from the opener so that you can open it manually. The tension on the springs when a garage door is closed counterbalances most of the weight of the door, so you should be able to easily lift it by hand. If the door feels heavy, and you have a harder time lifting it, it almost always indicates that a spring is broken or the springs need to be adjusted to rebalance the door. When you lift the door, only open it halfway and see if can stay in place. If the door won’t stay partially open, it also means that there is an issue with the springs not supporting its weight.
Signs That Extension Springs Should Be Replaced
All of the signs and issues we discussed in the previous section also apply to extension springs. Nonetheless, there are some other signs that are specific to this type of spring. You’ll easily be able to tell if an extension spring is broken since one or both ends will have come loose. That means that it will either be hanging down or just no longer there since extension springs are under so much tension that they often come flying off when they break. A broken extension spring is dangerous because it can cause serious or even fatal injuries to anyone standing in the garage when it breaks. You’ll usually hear a loud boom from your garage if the spring breaks when you’re at home.
The fact that extension springs are so dangerous when they break is why it’s important to regularly inspect them. You can often tell fairly easily when an extension spring is wearing out and at risk of breaking. When the door is closed, the springs should be tight with no gaps in between any of the coils. Gaps indicate that the spring is wearing out. In addition to the risk of it breaking, a gap in the coil signals that the spring can no longer store as much energy as it used to. This means it can’t support as much of the weight of the door, which is an issue since it puts added strain on the opener and can cause it to give out sooner.
One other thing to watch for is if you notice that the sides of the door are misaligned. or the door sometimes opens crookedly and gets stuck. Both springs should release their stored tension at the same rate so that both sides of the door get pulled up evenly. If one of the springs is starting to wear out, it won’t support the weight on its side of the door as well as the other spring. That’s what then causes the sides to get misaligned or the door to get stuck. This can also happen if one of the springs is broken since then only one side of the door will get pulled up and the opener will struggle to lift the other side on its own.
How Long Do Garage Door Springs Normally Last?
All garage door springs are designed to perform a certain number of opening and closing cycles. How many cycles the springs can perform depends largely on their type and quality. Extension springs typically last for somewhere between 5,000 and 10,000 cycles. Most people open and close their garage door four or five times a day, so extension springs usually last for anywhere from three to 10 years. Basic torsion springs will typically also last for 10,000 cycles. However, some manufacturers rate their torsion springs to last for 20,000 or 25,000 cycles, and there are even some so-called “lifetime” torsion springs that are rated to last for 80,000 cycles. That means that some torsion springs may last for 15 to 25 years, while others may outlast the garage door itself.
At Door Pro America, we have more than five decades of experience providing exceptional garage door solutions. We specialize in garage door repairs, maintenance, tune-ups and inspections, and we’re ready to help if you need a spring replacement. We can also help if you need to install a new garage door opener or replace your garage door. We offer an extensive selection of beautiful, high-quality garage doors in a range of different classic and modern styles. Our company has locations across the country and serves customers in New York, New Jersey, Virginia, Maryland, Illinois, Washington, Oregon and Colorado.
Whether you need spring replacement or any other garage door repair, give us a call at Door Pro America, and our experts will get the job done right!
