Not many homeowners give garage door springs a thought. Aladdin Doors® does. It’s our business. Every time you open and close your garage door, you have a complicated system of springs to thank. When they break, it is frustrating and inconvenient. What do you know about garage door springs? What do they do? Are there different kinds of springs? What is a spring cycle? Will you know when they’re going to break? What happens when they do break? Do you have to replace two springs if only one is broken? Is this something you can do yourself? What else do you need to know? Let’s get started.
WHAT. Springs play a critical role each time you use your garage door. They offset the door’s weight and balance it, allowing it to easily open and close, either manually or with an opener. Garage door springs can break due to wear and tear, lack of maintenance, improper adjustment, or temperature fluctuations. When the door opens, it twists the spring. Twist it enough times, and the spring will snap. If your car is in the garage, you won’t be able to get out because the door will be too heavy to lift, and you could hurt yourself if you attempt to open it. Bottom line: don’t touch broken garage door springs, please.
TYPES. There are two types of garage door springs: torsion springs and extension springs. If the spring is directly above your garage door, you have torsion springs. Depending on the weight of the door and its width, you may have more than one torsion spring. Extension springs are located on each side of your garage door. Springs come in different shapes and sizes based on the weight of your door and spring length so it’s important you know how to select the correct ones. So many choices.
CYCLES. A cycle is counted as the number of times you open and close your garage door. Springs are good for a minimum of 10,000 cycles which can last up to 7 years if maintained regularly. If you don’t use your garage door that often or plan to move soon, standard springs would be a good choice. For homes with multiple vehicles and heavy usage, 100,000 high cycle springs are recommended because of their lifetime guarantee. Great if you plan to stay in your home a long time.
WARNING. Signs that your garage door spring may break soon include:
- You hear a loud snapping sound
- The door opens and closes slowly
- The operation is ‘jerky’
- The door is unbalanced door
- The cables have snapped
BROKEN. You’ll know your garage door spring is broken when:
- You see a visible gap in the spring
- You hear a loud ‘bang’ coming from your garage
- The door only opens about 6” and stops
- You can’t open your door because it’s too heavy
ONE OR TWO. Is only one spring broken? Why not just replace one? Did you know that when one spring breaks, the second one will follow shortly thereafter? Replacing one broken spring throws your door off balance. Besides, all springs should be changed since they both went the same amount of cycles. Makes sense.
DIY? Unless you have the experience, the right tools, proper training, and lots of patience, do not attempt to replace broken garage door springs yourself because it can be extremely dangerous. Springs are under high tension and the National Safety Council warns consumers that only qualified individuals should replace them. Springs are calibrated for the weight of your door. If you use the wrong ones, your opener may break sooner, and your door is more likely to come off track. Instead, let the professionals at Aladdin Doors® get the job done so you don’t have to. We specialize in it.
HERE’S WHAT WE CAN DO FOR YOU. If your garage door no longer opens because of a broken spring, replacement is the only solution. Since we understand the urgency to replace it, we are ready to ‘spring’ into action by offering same day service and 24-hour emergency repair. For over 20 years, Aladdin Doors® has built a solid reputation as the leading professional garage door spring replacement company due to the quality of our work, affordability, and our outstanding customer service. With each spring replacement service, you’ll receive a complimentary safety inspection and tune up on your entire garage door system. A broken garage door spring isn’t something you can afford to ignore. It’s something you need fixed now and fixed right. Let Aladdin Doors® help. Call us at 877-366-7247 to schedule an appointment or complete our online form. We look forward to working with you soon.
