As mentioned earlier, a heavy garage door is a sure sign that the garage door spring is broken. If your garage door only rises a few inches before going back down, then it’s because of the springs. Here are the details of The Telltale Signs Your Garage Door Springs Are Failing
This is a safety feature that protects the opener from excessive weight. The opener is a motorized device built into automatic garage doors that regulates their opening and closing. The springs hold most of the door’s weight, so a broken spring means the door becomes much heavier for the opener.
The Door Doesn’t Open Smoothly
When your garage door doesn’t open as smoothly as it used to, you probably need to fix your springs. Worn and broken springs make your garage door uneven. When the door sits uneven, the garage door won’t open as seamlessly as it usually does.
An uneven garage door is a bad sign and could lead to further problems if not addressed. In most cases, you’ll have to replace the springs. This means replacing both the standard springs found above the door and the extension springs that run perpendicular to it.
Depending on your DIY skills, you can opt to replace the garage door springs by yourself. All you need to do is get a DIY garage door parts torsion spring, a few tools, and you’re all set. Alternatively, you can call a professional to do the handy work.
Gaps on the Springs
Garage door springs are tightly wound to support the heavy garage door. If the spring breaks, then a gap or gaps form between the coils. The gap formed will be about an inch or two and makes your garage door uneven.
If you notice a gap on the springs, make arrangements to have them replaced. Do so as soon as possible to prevent the problem from escalating.
Exposed and Loose Cables
If you look above your garage door, you’ll see a few cables. The garage door uses these cables to control its opening and closing. These cables connect to the bottom part of the door and wind around a drum attached to the torsion system. When the springs break, the drum spins, which makes the cables lose tension.
Loose cables indicate that you need to fix your springs. Sometimes the cables might tangle, which makes opening and closing the garage door even more difficult. The cables might also appear cut, but this is rarely the case.
The Door Makes a Large Cracking Sound
If you hear a crashing sound from your garage, it’s one of your precious springs breaking. When the tightly-wound spring breaks, it unravels and spins around the shaft. This is what makes the loud cracking sound.
When you hear a loud crash coming from your garage, don’t call the police. Instead, call the professional to replace your garage door springs.
Garage Door Maintenance Tips
The garage door is your home’s largest moving part. As such, it falls on you to take really good care of it. Here are a couple of garage door maintenance tips to add to your home maintenance tips repertoire.
Use Your Eyes and Ears
Listen for any funny noises coming from your garage door and investigate the cause. Also, be keen on how it moves and check for any unusual vibrations. If you notice anything out of the ordinary, then it’s time to call the professionals.
Lubricate Moving Parts
Make sure you grease your garage door regularly for seamless operation. You’d be surprised how a little grease can improve your garage door’s functionality. For the best results use white lithium grease and target the opener’s chain or screw.
You can also use spray-on grease, which is even more convenient. Use spray grease for the overhead springs and other hard-to-reach areas.
Check the Door’s Balance
As mentioned above, an uneven garage door is bad news. That’s because the opener has to work harder to lift open the garage door. That’s why you should always check your garage door’s balance to extend its lifespan.
Check the Weatherstripping
The weatherstripping is the rubber seal found at the bottom of your garage door. With time this seal can get brittle and crack. When this happens, it’s time to replace the weatherstripping.
Weatherstripping is found in hardware stores across the country. All you have to do is measure your door’s width and buy its length in weatherstripping. Replacing the weatherstripping should take no more than five minutes.
Clean the Tracks
Clear any debris from both sides of your garage door tracks. Doing so makes opening and closing the door much smoother. Also never try to adjust the tracks on your own because you might ruin your garage door.
Keep Your Springs in Check
With the above maintenance tips, we are confident that you should be able to keep your springs in check for a good long time. Ensure you take proper care of your garage door, and you won’t have to worry about replacing the door springs.
If it’s too late, make a point of buying quality springs from a trusted vendor for long-lasting springs. Replacing your garage door springs is an excellent do-it-yourself project, but you can always get professional help.
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