To know when to replace garage door springs, it’s a good idea to know about the crucial role that these springs play. The springs make it easier for garage doors to open either manually or with an opener, despite their heavy weight.
There are some effective ways to know whether the time has come to replace the springs on your garage door. Read on to learn more about how to know when to replace your springs.
How Important Are Your Garage Door Springs?
One thing you’ve probably noticed is that your garage door is very heavy. Because this door is a heavy object, the springs play a vital role in easier opening and closing. A garage door might have extension springs, which appear on the sides of the door or above the track, or torsion springs, which are on the wall above the door.
Extension springs usually appear on one-piece doors. Doors that use cable and pulley systems will have the springs above the horizontal tracks.
Torsion springs, on the other hand, usually appear on large garage doors. These springs will exclusively appear on the wall above the garage door.
How Do You Know When You Need to Replace Garage Door Springs?
There are several indicators helpful to look for when you need to replace garage door springs. Visually inspecting your door once a month, at least, will help you spot problems before they get out of control.
If your door won’t open at all, this is one of the strongest signs of trouble. Problems with springs are a leading cause of doors not opening properly. Scheduling an appointment with a garage door professional is best in these circumstances.
Taking a look for any signs of wear or damage in garage door components, even if the springs appear in good shape, is always a good practice. If there are problems with the components, there will be excessive pressure on the springs. Problems to watch for in the springs include visible wear, separation in the springs, loss of tension, and elongated or stretched-out springs.
Checking to see if your garage door will open manually is another way to see if there are any problems with your springs. If you have an automatic owner, you can disconnect the opener temporarily to see if you can open the door with little resistance.
If your door has an automatic garage door opener, a force setting test can help you identify possible problems with the springs. Doors with automatic openers have safety mechanisms that require them to stop closing and reverse if an object is in their path. Otherwise, there might be an issue with the springs requiring your attention.
How to Prevent Damage to Your Garage Door
When you notice problems with your garage door, you will want to avoid trying to fix these problems yourself. These doors are not only heavy, but the springs have a lot of tension behind them. The springs might detach with enough force to cause property damage, as well as serious or even fatal injuries.
In most cases, a properly-installed garage door with quality parts will last between seven and 12 years, barring any excessive usage that causes damage. Doors lubricated at least twice a year and inspected annually will likely last longer.
Because garage doors have a lot of complex parts, you aren’t going to want to tackle repairing or replacing the springs n your own. There is too much at stake with how important a garage door is for you to take this risk.
Getting the assistance of professionals, like our team at Radio Controlled Garage Door and Gate, will help keep your garage door in the condition that you require. Contact us today if you need to replace garage door springs.
