When you think of the word spring, you probably think of one of two things: the season, or a metal coil that bounces up and down or cushions weight. Your garage door spring sure shares some similarities with that latter definition, but quite a few differences, too. Understanding the needs of this crucial piece of your garage door is critical to maintaining the entire machine’s longevity.
Zoom in on garage door springs with Door Power, your Norwood garage door company—what they are, how they work, how to find yours, and how to know when yours needs a professional tune-up.
What Are Garage Door Springs?
The typical garage door spring is coil-shaped, dense, and metal. It’s located typically right in front of your garage door opener, on the side nearer to your driveway, and flush with your garage door.
When this spring is rotated, the resulting force lifts the door, saving you sore arms and time. Force is kept in the spring when the door is lowered and released when it is opened, making it a reliable source of stored strength that’s ready to summon whenever you need it—at the touch of a button!
Usually, standard garage doors only have one garage door spring, but weightier models might use multiple.
What Happens When a Garage Door Spring Fails?
You’re left a sitting duck in your garage! The reason why your door always seems so easy to open—practically weightless—is because these springs store force and help you out.
When they fail, you’re left trying to lift something that can weigh one-hundred pounds or more without any help. This can put family life at a standstill. How on Earth are you supposed to get to work, run errands, or pick up the kids from school if you practically have to bench press your garage door every time you want to leave?
A broken spring doesn’t just inconvenience you. Sometimes it can even make your garage door close at uneven speeds, and that’s a safety hazard if we ever saw one.
How Do I Know My Garage Door Spring Is About to Fail?
The good news: you can avoid the failure of this essential garage door part if you learn to recognize them early.
Identifying pre-failure symptoms is easy, but they can mimic those of other, just-as-serious garage door problems that have nothing to do with your garage door spring at all. If you have any concerns whatsoever, talk to your local garage door repair company.
Potential signs of ailing springs include:
● Groaning, squeaking, or screeching
● Your garage door suddenly falls
● You hear a loud ‘bang’ from your garage that has no discernable origin
● Your garage door refuses to open altogether
● Your garage door is lopsided when it opens—one side is taller than the other
● Your garage door jerks when it opens
Like we said, many possible spring-related issues can stem from completely separate sources, such as problems with your garage door tracks. So it’s important to familiarize yourself with these sources before making a “diagnosis,” so to speak.
If you’ve got a garage door that’s acting inexplicably fussy, check out our problem-solving blog, “Three Common Garage Door Problems and Solutions.” There, we detail a variety of garage door issues to help get you on the right path.
How Do I Take Care of My Garage Door Spring?
You know how to tell if your garage door is failing, but how do you know if it’s doing well? Provided you’re all about proper maintenance, you’re on the right track!
And we’ve got good news: taking care of this piece of your garage door is as simple as can be—provided your garage door installation team set you up with modern safety features.
The only thing your garage door spring needs is regular application of lubricant; every few months will do, and this is a task you can easily accomplish on your own. One important thing to remember: WD-40 is never something you should let near your garage door!
WD-40 cleans parts and removes rust, which can make them run more smoothly, but it does not provide the lubrication that your garage door needs. Always use a product that’s made specifically for the job at hand.
Can I Replace a Broken Garage Door Spring Myself?
The answer is a resounding no! Though the Internet is fraught with DIY tutorials and informative articles, you should really leave this one to the pros.
Garage door springs are volatile pieces of equipment simply because they’re designed with massive amounts of force and tension in mind. One wrong touch, one wrong move, and a poorly-maintained garage door spring could snap, and the resulting whiplash won’t be pretty.
Door Power: Here for All Your Garage Door Needs
Our comprehensive knowledge of all things garage door, from garage door openers to garage door cables, coupled with our speedly local service makes us the obvious choice for any garage door repair job in the Norwood area. Give us a call today at 952-467-3199.