Identifying Garage Door Spring Issues

Garage door springs have a very important role when it comes to how your garage door operates. Not only do they support the weight of the door but they ensure it functions smoothly. Their job, you can see, is big. They can make a garage door that weighs hundreds of pounds feel or look as though it is weightless. Have you ever had to manually lift your door? If the springs are in good shape and all other parts, it likely lifted with ease. 

But spring issues can arise and the ability to identify a spring problem quickly is important because this means you can prevent further damage. That’s why if you think something is wrong, it’s best to do a deeper inspection or have an expert come out to help you. Someone who specializes in garage door repair will know what to do.

When it comes to problems which can arise with garage door springs, you are going to discover that certain issues can be resolved easily without much experience with garage doors. But other issues are going to require turning to an expert because they would be dangerous for you to do if you are lacking experience. 

Thompson Garage Door Service in Stockbridge, Georgia has qualified experts who are able to inspect the springs for you if you are in our service area. As a matter of fact, you can turn to us for 24/7 emergency service so that you don’t have to worry about the issue worsening. But if you are not in our service area, we recommend looking up a garage door repair service near you. Just make sure the company is insured and licensed to help you. That way, you can trust that your garage door and all of its components are in good hands. 

So now that you know you have the option of turning to a professional for help, we are going to go over details regarding identifying garage door spring issues. 

Be Familiar with the Different Springs

If you are eager to try to identify spring issues yourself, then obviously you are going to need to know the different spring types. If you aren’t familiar with torsion springs version extension springs, you won’t be able to know what is what. Let’s start with torsion springs. A torsion spring is heavy-duty and you’ll see it over a garage door – you’ll see it on the wall. On the other hand, you have extension springs that use expansion to help with movement. 

If opening your garage door has become problematic, then maybe the problem is actually the springs. Let’s go over a couple different scenarios. For example, maybe your garage door is opening at an angle, in which case you are going to want to see if the torsion spring has sustained any damage. If you are unsure of doing this yourself, certainly reach out to an expert. 

Finding any signs of wear in the spring is important. If the spring looks outstretched or as though it has lengthened, or if the spring looks longer it might be time to hire someone to replace them. 

Lift the Garage Door Manually to Discover Issues

Opening the door by hand can help you to determine whether or not there is a problem with your springs. Let’s say you use an opener. In this case, which is typically the case for most, you are going to want to disable it once you close the garage door. Then, you can lift the door by hand. If it doesn’t open without an issue (it should be smooth and lightweight) then the springs could be problematic.  

Perform a Safety Test

You can determine if your springs need replacement or repair by doing a safety test. But you might be wondering how to do this. Step one entails opening the garage door. Easy! Step two is using the opener button or wall button to close the garage door. Open it again and place an object in the path of the garage door, like a piece of wood. The garage door should reverse when you try to close it, and if it does not, there could be a problem regarding your safety sensors. But if you rule out the sensors, then it might be the springs.  

See if the Springs Appear Broken 

Did you, at some point recently, hear a loud bang come from the garage? You might have had a spring snap. Inspect each spring in the garage door – if they snapped, you will see a big gap. The general rule of thumb is to swap out all springs at the same time, but this is absolutely a job for a licensed and insured garage door repair expert. Do not try to do this yourself – you can void the garage door’s warranty by making a simple mistake, and you can also seriously hurt yourself. Not to mention, the garage door might not function properly after you do the job and could hurt someone else. The risks are not worth it. 
Have inspections done and maintenance performed on a regular basis to ensure your garage door lasts as long as possible and is always safe to use. We encourage you to lubricate the springs at least two times each year. 

Garage door springs ensure your garage door can operate smoothly. Because of the resilience and strength of springs, you can have a garage door that weighs hundreds of pounds but still lifts and closes as though it is lightweight. 

When anything goes wrong regarding your garage door that hinders its functionality, it is something that should be addressed as soon as possible. You don’t want to wait and ignore when it needs to be repaired because you can end up with a lot of damage. With a garage door repair professional, you can often enjoy same day solutions and competitive rates. So, there is no reason not to at least call. Remember that if you are located in our service area to call us.