3 Warning Signs The Garage Door Springs May Be Broken
Your home's garage provides protection against the elements for your vehicle and personal belongs, so when you aren't able to open or close the garage door, it can make many of your daily activities much more complicated. A common misconception is that the garage door opener is the primary way of opening and closing the door, but it is actually the springs and the motor that make it possible to open and close the door. Just like anything else around your home, the springs on the garage door require maintenance in order to operate correctly. Here are a few warning signs that the springs are going out and need repaired or you may need a new garage door installation.
Garage Door Doesn't Open
Unfortunately, it's not always easy to tell if the garage door springs are broken until you try to enter or exit the garage. If you push the wall button or the remote and the door only opens a few inches and then stops, it due to a built-in safety feature that prevents the door from opening completely. If the springs are damaged, it activates this safety feature, so when the door stops while opening, it is often one of the first signs it's time to call a garage door repair service company to replace the springs.
Garage Door Opens Crooked
If you use the garage door opener to open the door and one side of the door rises quicker than the other, it typically means the garage door has two extension springs-one of which is already failing. It is essential that you have a garage door service replace the springs as soon as possible to prevent the risk of someone getting injured. If one spring is broken or damaged, the other one can also break at any time, resulting in the door slamming down.
Strange Sounds
One of the first signs the springs may be getting ready to break is by hearing strange sound in the garage. A loud bang coming from the garage may send you running to check it, but unfortunately, it's not always noticeable until you attempt to open the garage door. When opening or closing the door you may also hear creaking, screeching or popping, which are signs the springs are wearing down. In some cases, simply lubricating the springs can prevent the noise, but it is only a temporary fix.
It is extremely important to keep in mind that the springs are responsible for supporting the weight of the entire garage door and installing new springs isn't typically a DIY project. You should contact a garage door repair company as soon as possible if you suspect there may be a problem with the springs. Prevention is often the best way to avoid injuries due to broken garage door springs, so when you have a new garage door installation, be sure to ask about routine maintenance you can do to lengthen the life span of the springs as well as the garage door itself. Contact a company, like J & B Door, for more help.
