When it comes to garage door functionality, garage door springs play a crucial role. Which one are you having, a garage door extension spring or a torsion spring? These springs are tightly wound, and the coils are responsible for counterbalancing the door’s weight. These mechanisms allow it to open and close smoothly, safely, and efficiently. But how do you know when to replace garage door springs? And what are the signs of a broken garage door spring?
The garage door springs are always run under constant stress and may unavoidably wear out. A broken and failing garage door spring can compromise your entire garage system, which causes serious safety hazards and results in damage to your garage door opener/panels.
To avoid any major inconvenience or possible injury, it’s necessary to identify early signs of trouble. Here are the 10 most important warning signs that indicate it’s time to schedule a repair for your garage door spring before it’s too late.
10 Reasons To Understand When To Replace Garage Door Springs
1. Garage Door Opens Unevenly
An unevenly opening garage door is a very common indicator of spring failure. Springs are designed to evenly distribute the door’s weight on both sides. If one spring is broken or worn out, the door may rise at an angle or get stuck halfway.
The uneven movement puts strain on the opener and cables. This increases the risk of future door system failure. If your garage door opens crookedly? Or does your garage door lift unevenly? You can contact us for garage door spring repair without any hesitation. Our emergency services will reach your spot as fast as we can.
2. Door Closes Too Fast or Slams Shut
If your garage door slams shut abruptly or closes faster than normal, it’s the clear red signal. Springs are meant to slow down the closing and stabilize the door during descent.
A broken spring eliminates the control and lets gravity take over. It also creates a dangerous situation for anyone and anything in the door’s path. Due to a broken garage door spring, the garage door can close faster than usual.
Does Your Garage Door Need Spring Replacement? Contact us for immediate services
3. Loud Bang or Popping Noise
Do you hear a loud bang in the garage and now the door won’t open or close? That noise might have been the cause of the spring snapping under tension. The garage door torsion spring holds an enormous amount of energy.
Therefore, when it broke, the sound resembled a gunshot and explosion. This is one of the clearest signs that immediate spring repair is required. Often, property owners ask what to do when a garage door makes a loud noise and won’t open. We kindly suggest reaching out to us at (412) 504-7100 to discuss any questions you may have.
4.The Door Feels Heavy When Lifting
Does your garage door suddenly feel unusually heavy when you try to lift it manually? That’s all because of spring. The door feels heavier, and the spring is likely broken or worn out.
For spring repair, you can contact us through the (412) 504-7100 number; we are open for 24×7 emergency services 7 days a week. We are available at all times to help you at any time.
5. Visible Gap or Any Damage Signs in The Spring
The properly functioning torsion spring should be a tight and continuous coil. If you are spotting a 2-inch gap or a visible break and stretching in the spring, without any function. This is one of the easiest ways to identify the spring failure during the visual inspection.
The appropriate safety note is to never try to adjust or touch the spring yourself. It’s always better to call a professional for spring repair on your garage door. Any visible gaps are the clear signs of a broken garage door spring or malfunctioning door spring.
6. Loose Hardware or Any Cable
Loose hardware and any signs of the loose cable are the signs of spring trouble, which are visible as tears or related components like lifting cables, brackets, and other mounting hardware. When your garage door spring begins to fail, the entire system has to pay for the imbalance. As a result, increased tension may be transferred to the lifting cables and brackets.
Another warning sign is loose hardware. Do brackets that are pulling away from the wall or door frame? These small issues might seem harmless at first glance, but they often work as the symptom of failing spring tension. This type of error should not be ignored. If you are letting these errors go unnoticed, catastrophic failures in the door’s operations occur; routine inspections can catch these early indications.
7. Manual Operation Feels Off
Your garage door must move up and down with ease when operating it manually. If you feel like you are actually struggling to lift the door, and it feels unusually heavy, jerky, and unstable. These are all signs that your spring may be wearing out. The properly functioning springs can help to maintain the balance of the door weight, which makes it a manual operation almost effortless.
A malfunctioning spring system may cause uneven movement, making the door difficult to lift and can even allow it to slam shut when released. The strange sounds like grinding, scraping, and squealing during manual operations, are a warning sign of spring issues. The garage door’s movement should be smooth and consistent from start to finish. If you feel the sudden issues, the spring system is likely to be compromised.
8. Opener Motor Strains or Fails
The automatic garage door opener is engineered to work in coordination with properly balanced door springs. The monster isn’t designed to lift the full weight of the door on its own. Instead, it relies on the door spring tension to reduce the load. When the door spring begins to fail and lose the tension, the opener is forced to overcompensate by using energy to perform its basic functions.
In some cases, unusual straining during operation or making unusual noises are indications of motor strains and failures. You may notice the opener refusing to lift the door at all if the springs completely break down. Addressing the spring issues early can extend the life of your opener and save you from costly replacements.
9. You’ve Reached the Lifecycle Limit
Even when your garage door springs appear to function properly, they have a limited service life that you shouldn’t ignore. Most residential torsion springs are rated for around a fixed number of cycles, where one cycle is equal to one complete opening and closing of the garage door. For a household that uses the garage door as their primary entrance, those cycles can add up quickly. The spring may quietly wear down to the point where failure is imminent.
Preventive maintenance is crucial to avoid unexpected breakdowns. Steel City Garage Doors inspections and services around the end of your spring’s expected life cycle help you avoid emergency repair costs and ensure uninterrupted access to your home. You can contact Steel City Garage Doors to schedule a proper garage door spring replacement or inspection.
10. Rust or Corrosion on the Springs
Rust and corrosion are silent destroyers of garage door springs. Due to exposure to moisture, humidity, and air pollutants, the metal coils can develop rust. Rust and corrosion of the spring can significantly weaken the structural excellence of the spring.
A rusted spring loses its flexibility and becomes brittle, increasing the risk of sudden breakage. Rust can also lead to uneven tension and make the garage door feel off balance or noisy during operation. If you already find signs of rust and corrosion on the body of the spring, don’t wait for the spring to snap, and treat the visible rust as a clear warning sign.
Final Thoughts
Your garage door torsion spring may seem like a small part of a large system, but it plays a vital role in its operations and safety. Learning to identify the early signs of wear and tear can help you act in time before your garage door gets completely stuck with a nonfunctional door and you face dangerous conditions. Don’t take any chances with aging springs if you find any of these early signs of spring damage or any hardware issues, feel free to contact Steel City Garage Doors emergency services through (412) 504-7100.
FAQs
The lifespan of the garage door springs can be different. Every brand manufacturing process is different and the most important part is other factors that impact the life of the garage door springs. Usually, garage door springs last between 7 and 10 years and 10,000 cycles; high-cycle springs may last longer.
We strongly discourage this opinion. Garage door springs are under extreme tension and can cause serious injuries if not handled properly. Contact us, and our certified professional technician will reach your spot for spring inspections, spring replacements, and spring adjustments.
Torsion springs are mounted horizontally above the door. Torsion springs are also a more durable and safer option for residential garage door use.
Extension springs are mounted on either side and stretch to assist in lifting.
Yes, it’s also recommended. If one torsion spring breaks down, the other is likely close to failure; replacing both ensures an even tension and helps you avoid uneven door operations.
Prices can vary depending on the locations, the door types and the type of malfunction of the spring. Investing in a high-cycle spring may cost more upfront but offers greater durability. To get the proper ideas for garage door spring repair cost contact us and ask for the garage door spring inspection.
