Garage door maintenance is paramount to keeping your garage in the best shape possible. Of course, there’s also a lot to learn about garage doors and their many moving parts. The springs on your garage door are one of the most essential parts of any garage door system and are the most important to keep in good condition so that they don’t fail or become a danger.
How can you know it’s time to replace your garage door springs? How can you know if repairs are needed? The best thing that you can do is consult a garage door expert and let them help you through the process. Before you do, check out seven signs that it might be time to consider a garage door spring replacement.
- Broken Springs
The first and most obvious sign that it is time to replace the springs on your garage door is if you can see that the springs are broken. As a note, do NOT work on springs on your own. Working on these can be dangerous because springs are under a lot of pressure and can cause damage or potential injury if moved. With that said, if you see broken springs, call for a maintenance specialist right away.
- Noises
Newer garage doors make almost no noise at all. Older doors and opener systems may be louder. You should listen for sounds that aren’t normal, coming from the tracks or above the door where the torsion spring is located. If there’s squeaking, banging, or any other noise coming from the springs, it could be a sign of an issue.
- Cables
Check cables to ensure they are not worn, frayed, or rusted. Make sure that all safety cables are intact and in proper working order. Also, missing cables could signal serious issues that need to be addressed.
- Missing or Broken Parts
As with the broken springs, other missing or broken components on the garage door could be related to the springs needing replacement. It helps to familiarize yourself with the garage door when it’s in good condition so that you can be aware of anything that goes wrong.
- Difficult Movement
If your garage door isn’t moving up and down smoothly, that could indicate an issue with the garage door springs. The springs are designed to make it easy to open the door in seconds. For example, if something is off, it could stutter or open crookedly.
- The Door is Off-Balance
Proper balance is crucial for garage doors so they can be lifted easily by an automatic opener or a single hand manually. If the door is unbalanced, it can be related to several different issues, including damaged garage door springs.
- Outdated Systems
If you are still using extension springs on your garage door, you may be dealing with outdated hardware that will serve you much better if it’s in good working order. Even some outdated torsion systems are due for replacement at this point.
Call an expert immediately if your garage door is experiencing any of these issues.