Two very important parts of your garage door system are the operator and the springs. Neither can function without the other, so it’s important to keep both well maintained. If you’re experiencing issues with your garage door system, but your operator is still working, it’s likely that one of your garage door springs is broken. Here are a few ways to keep an eye out for this precarious problem.
Before Your Spring Breaks
There are several ways to be proactive about your garage door springs and avoid one snapping on you unexpectedly. Preventing a spring from breaking can save you the time and frustration of having to wait for your garage door system to be fixed.
Inspect Your System
Two times a year, you should perform an overall inspection of your garage door system, including a thorough examination of your springs. The springs should be evenly spaced, straight, and free of rust. If you notice a gap in your springs or worse, a broken spring, have it replaced right away.
Know Your Range
Springs typically last five to ten years, so if you know you’re approaching the end of your spring's lifetime, consider replacing it. Most springs are made to last through 10,000 cycles, so their lifetime depends on how often you use your garage door.
Schedule Regular Maintenance
Regular maintenance can help extend the life of your garage door system. Whether you conduct the maintenance or you hire a professional to do so, you’ll be able to spot potential trouble areas and address them before there’s an emergency. This is a good time to lubricate your garage door system, and while you’re at it, be sure to check your springs.
After Your Spring Breaks
A broken spring is unfortunate, but don’t be dismayed. Here’s how you can tell if you have a broken garage door spring—and what to do about it!
Evaluate Your System
Here are some indicators that your garage door springs may be broken:
- Your garage door doesn’t completely close.
- Your garage door won’t open.
- Your garage door opens slightly and then stops.
- The top section of your garage door is bent.
- The garage door falls closed.
- Your garage door system doesn’t run smoothly.
- You can see a broken cable or spring.
- You heard a loud bang.
Test Your Springs
Most garage door systems come with an emergency release cord. You can use this feature to test if your garage door springs are broken. Be sure that there are no obstructions in the way of the garage door. Pull the emergency release cord. Your garage door is now disconnected from the automatic opener. Try to lift the garage door from the ground. If your springs are working, it should be fairly easy. If you feel the full weight of the garage door, then it’s likely that one or more of your garage door springs is broken.
Call in a Professional
Garage door springs are incredibly dangerous to fix. They bear a high amount of tension and can cause serious injury if mishandled. For this reason, you should contact a professional if you suspect your garage door springs are broken.
Are you in need of a garage door repair company in the Cedar Rapids area? Contact us for garage door repair service, or request a free quote online.
