How to Check for a Broken Garage Door Spring?
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Most people use their garage door more often than their front one. Besides using it for your vehicle, it also acts as the primary entrance and exit point to your home. So, it means that your garage door is operating many times throughout the day.
However, one day you might notice that the garage door isn’t responding to the open command. Suddenly, you can’t just use the push button to open the door and back your car out. While there could be many reasons, broken springs are usually the main culprit.
But how can you check whether your garage door spring is working? We’ll discuss a few signs to help you determine if you need to replace the springs in your garage door. So, without further ado, let’s get right into it.
What is the Role of Garage Door Springs?
Before we move on to the signs of a broken garage door, we need to understand the importance of the torsion springs in your garage door. The garage door is heavy and can be difficult for a single person to lift. That is where the torsion springs come into play.
These springs make it easy to lift the garage door either through a garage door opener or manually. Torsion and extension springs are the two primary garage door springs.
Extension garage door springs are usually on the side of the door or the top of the horizontal tracks using a cable and pulley system. On the other hand, the torsion springs are mainly used for large and heavy garage doors and are placed on the top of the wall above the door.
Signs That Your Garage Door Spring is Broken
Now that you know the critical role of a garage door spring, you need to look for signs to see if it is broken. It can lead to severe issues with the garage door if it is not in proper condition.
Carefully Listen for a Weird Noise
A loud noise is one of the most obvious signs that indicate a broken spring for your garage door. There is a chance that you’ll hear a loud sound like a bang if the torsion spring snaps. Also, if you notice an unusual squeaking sound when opening and closing the garage door, that might be because of a damaged spring. It is best to replace it before the spring completely breaks down. Garage doors make a slight buzzing mechanical sound which doesn’t relate to a broken spring.
Look for Gaps
When a torsion spring breaks, both sides of the spring will detach from each other. As a result, it will create a gap. Any gaps in the spring indicate that it isn’t working correctly and needs a replacement. In some cases, the gap can be as comprehensive as several inches, making it easy to see.
Check if the Springs are Rusty or Stretched Out
Another possible way to tell whether the spring isn’t in proper condition is to check whether it looks stretched out. It can be difficult in a few instances to check whether there is a problem with the spring since the issue might not be obvious.
Nevertheless, you can always check if the spring looks rusty or damaged. If it does, it probably indicates that the spring will break sooner or later. Also, if the spring doesn’t coil up as it should, you might have a damaged spring.
When checking your torsion spring to find any gaps, it is best all look at all three springs for any visual indications that the springs look worn out. You shouldn’t overlook any unusual characteristics and get an expert to examine the spring for possible problems.
Look at the Garage Door’s Appearance and Functions
Closely examining the garage door can also tell you about the possible issue with the springs. You can inspect the garage door for any unusual activity that indicates the springs might break.
For instance, see if the door isn’t opening correctly or isn’t in proper track when operating. Also, check for the misalignment in the top section of the garage door. Both these signs are indications of a worn-out garage door spring.
Additionally, broken springs in your garage door can cause it to crash when closing or not open at all. Also, if the door opens only a few inches and then closes, you might need to replace the garage door springs.
Other Common Signs of a Broken Spring
In addition to the above signs, there are also some possible indications of an issue with your garage door spring. Here are a few things to keep an eye for:
- You notice that the garage door jerk when going up and down
- Even the emergency release won’t open up the door.
- The above section of the garage door bents when you use the opener
- The door is going up at a slow pace
While other reasons could lead to these problems, it is usually the springs that disrupt the operation of a garage door. Nevertheless, getting an expert at your property to thoroughly examine your garage door springs is better.
Call a Professional to Replace the Springs
If you notice that the garage door is not operating correctly, it is better to get a professional to look at your spring. These experts can check and replace the springs using the right tools and equipment. While it might sound intriguing to replace the springs on your own, it is better to get professional assistance.
Replacing the springs is essential as damaged springs can lead to possible issues with your garage door, and you might also sustain injuries. So, it is best to get them repaired or replaced by professionals and let them handle it for you.
