5 Essential Garage Door Maintenance Tips
There’s no reason why your garage doors shouldn’t last you for decades, so long as
How to Tell If Your Garage Door Springs Need Replacing
Garage doors are often much heavier than they seem. With the exception of side-hinged garage doors, the reason they are so easy to open is thanks to the torsion springs that make up part of the opening and closing mechanism. These tension-wound springs act as a counterweight to the garage door, supporting the door panel as it is raised and lowered, whether manually or by an electric garage door opener.
With these components being so essential to the safe operation of your garage door, it’s important that they are kept in good condition. In this article, we will show you five tell-tale signs garage door springs need replacing:
Your garage door won’t open or shut
If your garage door fails to open or close, that’s a definite sign of a fault. While it might not necessarily be due to a broken door spring, that’s certainly one of the most common reasons. Unless there’s a more obvious issue, such as a physical obstruction in front of or behind the door or a short circuit in your electric garage door opener, a broken spring is a likely explanation.
Your garage door shuts too quickly
As discussed, the torsion springs bear the weight of the garage door while it’s suspended in the air and help to regulate the movement when you lower it back into position. If it drops with a sudden movement, it means that weight is no longer being supported—a sure sign of a damaged spring.
Snapping or breaking noises
Between them, your garage door springs hold a cable tightly in place, exerting pressure along its length. If the spring or the cable are weakened in some way, it’s only a matter of time before that cable snaps, and you will know about it when it does. It produces a loud snapping sound, like the crack of a whip or a car backfiring. You may also feel the door judder as the tension in the cable is released.
The door is crooked or there is a gap
Sometimes you can tell that a spring has broken just by looking at the main garage door panel. If there is a visible gap between the bottom edge and the floor, that means there is insufficient tension in the cable to keep the door in place. Likewise, if the door panel is hanging askew, with one side higher than the other, one spring is probably working okay (for now), but the other has certainly broken.
Springs look rusty or over-stretched
Another visible cue is in the springs themselves. If you can see spots of rust on the springs, don’t attempt to clean them; simply replace them before the damage gets any worse. Torsion springs are wound tightly, so there should be no gap between the coils. If you can see a gap, the spring is overstretched and will need tightening at best or replacing at worst.
Do my garage door springs need replacing?
If your garage door springs are exhibiting any of the signs listed in this article, there’s a good chance that they need replacing. Here at Local Garage Repair Man, we offer a variety of garage door repair solutions to customers across London and the South East, including garage door spring replacements. Give the team a call today on 0203 816 0797 or 07983 433921 to see what we can do for you. Alternatively, send an email to info@localgaragerepairman.co.uk to receive a free, no-obligation quote.
Share
Facebook
Twitter
Posts
7 reasons your garage door won’t open or shut
Whether you’re inside or out, there are few things more frustrating than a garage door
How Much Should You Pay for Your Garage Door Repair?
It is easy to take our garage doors for granted – until something goes wrong.
DIY or Hire a Garage Door Professional?
As a nation – we are devoted to DIY, with many a bank holiday weekend
