3 Ways to Identify if Your Garage Door has Lost its Spring

If your garage door won't open, one of the causes could be a broken spring. It's normal for the springs to wear out over time, although it usually takes a few years. How often you open and close the door every day has a bearing on how quickly they wear out. Replacing a broken garage door spring is not a DIY job, because it is very dangerous due to the amount of tension built up in the springs. You'll need to call a repair person, but ideally, you should call for help before a spring actually breaks and traps your cars in the garage. Here's how to tell if a spring is going bad.

1. Do A Balance Test

The purpose of the springs is to counterbalance the weight of your garage door. This is what makes it easy for you to raise and lower the door manually. The springs bear all the weight. So you can test how well your springs work every time you open or close the door manually. If it seems like the door is getting heavier, it could be due to the springs wearing out.

To do a balance test, all you have to do is pull the door down and leave it suspended a couple of feet off the floor. The door should stay where you leave it. If it slowly slips down, it means the springs are no longer strong enough to hold the full weight of the door. You should call a garage door repair service to come and change the springs before they break and cause your door to get stuck in the down position.

2. Test For A Smooth Glide

When you raise and lower the garage door manually, listen for unusual noises that might be coming from the springs. This could be a metallic grinding or squeaking noise. Also pay attention to how easily the door glides along the track. If it seems to stick, it could be due to the poor performance of a spring. Also, notice how well the garage door opens and closes when you use the opener. If the motor seems to be working fine, but the door lurches and stalls, you may have a bad spring. Another problem could be rust that interferes with the smooth functioning of the spring. The spring could also be out of balance. This happens sometimes when there is a temperature change. For instance, if the tension on your springs was set during cold weather, when the weather gets hot, the spring may expand and get loose. These problems are easily fixed by a repair person, and you may not even need new springs.

3. Check For A Broken Spring

It's pretty easy to tell when you have a broken garage door spring. For one thing, your door is stuck in the down position. When you activate the opener, the lights come on and you can hear the motor working, but the door doesn't budge. If you look closely at the spring, you will see a gap in the area where the spring broke apart. If you're home when it happens, you'll probably be startled by a loud popping noise.

When you call a repair service to replace your broken or worn spring, he or she will probably replace both of the springs at the same time. That way they both wear out on the same schedule. Then you should be free from spring problems for several years. To learn more, visit All Seasons Garage Door.