Broken Garage Door: Do You Need a Spring Repair?

Garage door springs are a major component of the opening system. If your springs are broken, it’s important to identify the problem quickly and have it repaired. Here are a few signs that you need a garage door spring repair. 

Your door made a loud sound when opening.

Garage door springs are under a tremendous amount of tension. If a spring breaks when the door is opening or closing, you'll likely hear a loud "bang." This is a pretty obvious indicator that the spring has broken. You can verify this by visually inspecting the spring. If you know that your garage door spring is broken, do not attempt to operate it.

Your door only opens partway.

Most garage door systems have a built-in force sensor, which prevents it from operating when the opener is under too much pressure. While this is an inconvenience, it ensures that no further damage is done to the door or opener.

Your door operates more slowly than usual.

If you find that your door is opening and closing more slowly than usual, it may be an indicator that your garage springs are broken. Garage doors with DC motors often start cycling at a slow speed and gain momentum as the door continues to open or close. If your door isn’t operating at its normal speed, have your springs checked.

One side of your door is higher than the other.

If only one of your garage door springs is broken, it will hang lower than the other side. This will be a pretty obvious indication that at least one of your springs is broken.

There is a large gap in your springs.

A large gap in your spring is an sign that it is broken. If you don’t know how to locate your springs, contact your local garage technician, and they can perform an inspection.

The garage door itself is bent.

If your automatic opener continues to run with broken springs, it can cause the top panel of your garage door to bend. If you notice that your garage door is bent, you’ll need to have it inspected. Do not continue to operate your system, or you may cause further damage.

Your door falls when closing.

A broken spring cannot adequately support the weight of a garage door, which often causes the door to fall when it is closing. If you suspect you have a broken or worn out garage door spring, pay careful attention to the way your door closes. If your spring hasn’t yet broken, you may be able to have it replaced before it becomes an inconvenience.

Your door won’t open at all.

If your garage door won’t open at all, it’s possible that your garage door springs are broken. In this case, it’s best to call in a garage door technician to inspect your system and pinpoint the cause of the malfunction.

It’s been about five years since you replaced the springs.

Garage door springs typically last about 10,000 cycles. Depending on how often you use your door, this could be between three and five years. If you’re getting close to that time, you’ll want to schedule a replacement soon.

If your garage door springs are broken, contact Doors by George. Our team of garage door experts can inspect your system and get it back up and running in no time. Whether you need a simple repair or a new installation, contact Doors by George in Cedar Rapids. Get your quote today!