HuberyWhen it comes to opening and shutting your garage door, your springs do all the work. For many homeowners, garage door springs breaking is a difficult problem. They have no idea how garage door springs work, how to fix them, or what causes them to break – all of which are valuable pieces of information to have before you’re late to work because you couldn’t get your car out of the garage.
Types Of Garage Door Springs
Extension Spring
The systems are installed on either side of the track of the garage door. When the door is moving, cables and pulleys help them expand and compress.
Torsion Spring
Many garage door torsion springs are tightly wound springs (depending on the size of the door) that are commonly used in these systems. Springs are positioned horizontally at both ends on a steel shaft with cable drums. The garage door’s torsion spring is attached to the header wall. Typically, it has a three-pronged support system with a central bearing plate and two end bearing plates on each end.
Reasons Why Garage Door Springs Malfunction
Rust
If the spring acquires any rust for whatever cause, its lifespan will be significantly reduced. Adding rust to the coils causes a greater degree of friction as they move back and forth. Coils will wear out more quickly if the spring is corroded because the corrosion will weaken the coils. Three or four times a year, spray the spring with silicone-based lubricant to keep it well-lubricated and increase its lifespan.
Wear and Tear
This is the most common cause of garage door spring failure. The average garage door spring is designed to last for 10,000 cycles, which is the number of times the door goes up and down to open and close. That may sound like a lot, but keep in mind that you have to get the car out and back in the garage at least twice a day.
Even if you only open and close your garage door once or twice a day for errands or when your kids open and close their doors for any reason, those daily cycles add up quickly. You may want to consider purchasing torsion springs rated for 20,000 or more cycles if your garage door has become your “front door” and is frequently used.
Poor Maintenance
All garage door springs will ultimately fail, but good maintenance may extend their life and alert you when they are close to failure. There is a way to prevent the spring from breaking explosively and the subsequent headache of having to fix it as quickly as possible. Additionally, it’s a good idea to check the garage door’s balance at least once a season, especially in winter, when most springs fail.
Final Thoughts
Most DIYers are skilled or have done the replacement of their broken garage door springs. But, we still encourage you to look for professionals to work on it as they have the experience, proper training, and tools to complete the job.