Experiencing issues with garage door springs? Garage doors really pack a punch, don’t they? Some can tip the scales at around 130 pounds, while others can reach an incredible 400 pounds! Made from materials like metal or wood, these doors are anything but lightweight.
Despite the weight, garage doors are equipped with a system that can carry the doors effortlessly.
In particular, the springs provide the main anti-gravity forces that make garage doors lighter and, thus, easier to lift.
Since the springs have such a significant role for the function of the whole garage door system, it is essential to properly maintain them and ensure that they are in good shape.
Below are 10 signs that will require you to get your springs professionally repaired or replaced.
#1 Dent on Garage Door
When springs don’t function well, the door opens and closes clumsily.
When this keeps happening, the heavy door will keep on bumping everywhere and get dented along the way.
#2 Garage Door Barely Opens or Doesn’t Open at All
Springs carry the garage door’s weight so that it can open and close smoothly; however, broken springs will cause the door to not open at all because the primary support system is already damaged.
There are also times when the garage door does open but stops after a few inches of being lifted; this is due to the heaviness of the door triggering its safety features.
#3 Garage Door Closes Too Fast
Since springs carry the door’s weight, they help to control the speed that the door operates in.
Faulty springs will not be able to take the heaviness of the door and will lose control of the speed, thus making garage doors close too fast.
#4 Jerky Garage Door
Extension springs on either side of the door should perform together to lift the whole door but, if one of the springs is faulty and doesn’t function well, then the motion of the opening and closing door becomes jerky.
#5 Crooked Garage Door
You either have a jerky door or a crooked door.
Crooked garage doors happen when one of the two extension springs on either side of the door is significantly faultier, or worse, broken compared to the other one.
This will leave only one functional spring to lift; thus, only one side is raised.
#6 Auto-Reverse Does Not Work
The auto-reverse feature of a garage door opener functions by reversing immediately when a small resistance is felt against the closing door’s path.
However, faulty or broken garage door springs will not have the strength to counter the weight and force of the door’s gravity, so the door will continue to close.
#7 Heavy Garage Door During Manual Control
If you notice that your garage door closes too fast and opens too slow, try to check if you can lift the garage door manually with no excessive effort.
Manually operate your door and override the automatic opener by pulling the emergency cord on the door trolley.
If you feel that the door is too heavy to lift, then the springs are faulty.
#8 Visible Gaps on the Torsion Springs
Springs should and must be tightly wound, which means there should be no visible gaps between the metal coils.
If you see small gaps growing between the coils, then your springs are worn out and need to be professionally replaced.
There will also be cases where there is only one visible large gap, and your spring is split into two; this is a broken spring that needs to be replaced immediately.
#9 Loose or Broken Cables
When you see that your cables are loose, out of place, or broken, you might assume that the cables are the main problem; however, it might be worth it to check your springs.
Springs generally provide tension to keep the cables tight and in place/
However, worn-out springs will not be able to give the cables the right amount of tension.
Consequently, the cables tend to loosen and get misplaced.
Although springs are the main force of anti-gravity, cables also contribute to lifting the garage doors together with the springs.
However, if the springs are broken, and the cables are left to support the weight, it will not be able to handle the tension and snaps, resulting in broken cables.
#10 Loud Bang From the Garage
A loud bang from the garage is a telltale sign that your spring might have snapped and broken into two.
When you hear a loud noise like this, check the springs and see if any are broken.
If so, immediately call for professional help to apply repairs and replacements.
For professional garage door repair services, companies are available for contact in Mississauga, Markham, Newmarket, and Toronto.
