People use their garage doors a lot, multiple times every day. That much wear and tear can present itself in many ways, whether in the opening mechanism, the belt, or maybe even the springs. There are a lot of warning signs for each faulty part of the garage door system, so you need to know what to look out for so you can get it fixed early. Read on to learn the warning signs that you need a new garage door spring.
The Door Closes Too Fast
One of the main warning signs you may notice that signals the need for a new garage door spring is if the garage door is closing too fast. Many newer garage doors have a safety feature where they’ll start opening instead of closing if it senses there’s something wrong with the weight. This safety feature ensures that something isn’t hanging on to the door that can get crushed or will put undue strain on the system and potentially break the spring. If the system doesn’t correct itself and the spring pulling the garage does break, the door will fall and damage itself or any person or object in the way.
Older garage doors do not have this safety feature, which is why they can sometimes close much quicker than intended. This increase in speed is likely because of a broken or breaking spring. Since the spring is not functioning as intended, it’s not slowly lowering the door, and without that new safety feature, it won’t correct itself. Closing too fast won’t happen every time, but if you do notice your garage door speeding up occasionally, you may want to get it looked at.
Automatic Opener Doesn’t Raise the Door
If your door isn’t rising when you trigger the mechanism, that may be another sign that you need to replace the spring. In the garage door opening system, the spring takes the door’s weight off the other systems, allowing it to glide smoothly. The newer garages, as mentioned previously, can tell when something is wrong with the weight and adjust accordingly so that it doesn’t pull the door too high or drop it on the ground. Additionally, this safety feature ensures that the failing spring doesn’t completely break. If your opener isn’t raising the door all the way or stopping around six inches off the ground, you may need to replace or repair your spring.
Loud Snapping Noise
A loud snapping noise is a common sign that something is wrong, no matter what we’re talking about! The same goes for your garage door spring, and it’s not a fun sound to hear. The spring can still snap even when your garage door isn’t moving. In these instances, you won’t notice anything change with the door itself, but you will hear the sound. If the spring breaks while the garage door is moving, you may hear the sound, but more likely, you’ll see your door fall and crash to the ground. Either way, your spring is now broken, and you’ll need to get it replaced.
Your Garage Door Opens Crookedly
Another sign you may need to repair your garage door spring is if the door is opening crookedly. When making garage doors, the manufacturer can use two different kinds of springs. The main spring is the torsion spring, and it runs directly parallel to the garage door bottom. Some manufacturers will also include extension springs that run perpendicular to the torsion spring, likely on one side of the garage.
Because of this two-spring system, it’s possible one side may rise faster than the other, leaving you with a crooked garage door opening. Garage door repair companies can easily identify the springs you’re using and how to repair them and properly eliminate this issue.
Rusted Springs
If you have rusted springs, you may also need to get the system repaired. A rusted spring may not cause any disturbance with your opening system right away, but it’s a signal that something is wrong and can potentially go wrong if you don’t properly deal with it. Rust is evidence that the spring is wearing down and can break at any moment, so you should take care of it sooner rather than later. It’s hard to tell if a spring is rusted just by listening or looking at the way the garage door opens, so you will need to get up and give the springs a close inspection yourself.
It’s Abnormally Loud
One sign that the springs in your garage door may need replacing is if the door is abnormally loud when you open and close it. As already mentioned, a broken spring would be loud, but sometimes, the years of use can get to the springs and cause them to strain more than usual. This extra strain and added pressure can cause the springs to make noises that you may otherwise not hear, and the louder it gets, the more strain they’re going through. If you hear this screeching noise every time you open your garage door, though, it may be time to call a professional.
The Door Is Exceptionally Heavy
Depending on the make and model of your garage door, you can have a mechanism that helps open the garage, but if needed, you could lift it yourself. Sometimes, the garage door can feel exceptionally heavy, and in these instances, it may be because of the spring. Typically, the spring helps support the garage door weight, but if this torsion spring is broken or breaking, lifting the garage yourself may require extra effort. Without the spring taking some of the relief off the door, it will be dead weight and thus seem a lot heavier than normal. In instances like these, you should definitely get your garage door springs checked out.
If you spot any of these warning signs, you may need a new garage door spring. Still, some of these issues could also be attributed to other parts of the opening system, which is why it’s important you get a professional like Steel City Garage Doors to come and inspect. We are experts in the garage business and can help you with any garage door issue, including garage spring repair. We’ll help you get everything back to normal working order again!
Warning Signs You Need A New Garage Door Spring
