Garage doors are an essential component of our homes. A home’s garage door opens and closes every day, multiple times a day. The truth about garage doors is that garage door springs bear an enormous amount of tension to facilitate the smooth operation of heavy garage doors. Understanding their maintenance and repair is important to the overall life and safety of your garage. AAA Action Garage Doors will share what you need to know about garage door springs and their maintenance needs.
How Do Garage Door Springs Work?
Garage door springs are tightly wound coils designed to hold tension, offsetting the weight of the garage door. The two primary types of garage door springs are extension springs and torsion springs. Extension springs are typically mounted on the sides of the garage door track and expand and contract as the door moves. Torsion springs, on the other hand, are fixed on a rod above the garage door and use torque to lift the door. Despite their different locations and mechanics, both springs work on the rule of counterbalance using the tension in the spring to hold up the weight of the door. This makes the door feel much lighter than it actually is, making it possible to lift manually or with a small electric motor.
How Do I Know Garage Door Spring is Broken?
Springs are built to withstand a certain number of cycles, with one cycle being the garage door opening and then closing. Most residential garage door springs are rated for about 10,000 cycles. With regular usage, garage door springs can wear down over time and eventually break. It is important to see the warning signs of a broken or worn out garage door spring and when you need to seek professional garage door services. Some of the classic signs of a worn or broken garage door springs are:
• Difficulty in opening the garage door.
• The door opening only partially or not staying open.
• Loud banging noise when the springs break.
• The door falling quickly when it’s being closed.
If you notice any of these signs, it’s highly recommended to stop using the garage door immediately and call a professional for repairs.
What Does it Take to Replace Garage Door Springs?
Professional garage door technicians have the training and the right tools to safely repair or replace broken garage door springs. Here are the steps a garage technician takes when repairing a garage door spring.
• Safety First: Before beginning, technicians will unplug the garage door opener and clamp the door in place to ensure it doesn’t move during the repair.
• Unwinding the Old Spring: With the right tools, technicians carefully unwind the torsion from the old spring.
• Removing and Replacing the Spring: Once all the tension is released, the technician removes the spring from the rod and replaces it with a new one.
• Winding Up the New Spring: The new spring is then wound up with the correct amount of tension.
• Checking the Door Balance: Finally, the door is checked for proper balance and alignment.
Garage Door Services in Aliante, Centennial, Desert Shores, Eldorado, Enterprise, Green Valley Ranch, Henderson, Lone Mountain Village, North LV, Peccole Ranch, Paradise, Silverado Ranch, Spring Valley, Summerlin, Sunrise Manor, Tuscany Village, Whitney, Winchester & Las Vegas Nevada
Garage door springs are critical to your garage door’s operation and safety. Although they are sturdy and durable, they can wear down over time and will require professional attention when they do. If you notice that your garage door springs need repairs or have other garage door needs, contact AAA Action Garage Doors today.
