Do You Need A New Garage Door Spring? How Do You Tell?
Garage doors have a lot of moving parts and components. Eventually, some of these components may wear out and need to be replaced. One such part is the torsion spring, which is a huge spring that holds tension on the garage door so it does not fall to the ground or snap up too quickly. So, how do you know when your garage door spring is wearing and needs to be replaced? Look out for these key signs.
Creaking, Cracking Noises When the Door Opens and Closes
You're probably familiar with the sound that metal makes when it creaks, cracks, and bends. Your torsion spring should not be making that noise. If you do hear it cracking or creaking when the door is opening and closing, that usually means the spring has stretched out too much and is now struggling to contract to its compressed length.
Rust on the Spring
Take a close look at the spring. Do you notice any rust on it? Even small spots of rust are not what you want to see, since they can quickly grow and start penetrating the spring. It's therefore a good idea to have the spring replaced before it rusts through enough to snap or break.
The Door Retracts After Opening
Does the garage door hit the ground, and then start retracting back up again instead of remaining closed? This is a sure sign that the garage door spring is stretched out and is allowing the door to go down too far. For now, you may be able to get by if you disconnect the automatic opener and manually open and close the door, but you will need to have the spring replaced.
The Door Closes Really Fast
Watch the door as it closes. Does it reach a certain point where it seems to accelerate and start closing faster than it should? Maybe it also reaches a point, when closing, where it seems to struggle to come up at the usual rate. These issues point to your spring being stretched out and unable to provide the amount of tension needed.
If you think your garage door spring may need to be replaced, contact a garage door company near you. They can take a look and advise you on your next steps. Any work with garage door springs should always be done by a professional since the springs are under such high tension. For more information, contact a company like Plano Overhead Garage Door.