Common Causes of Broken Garage Door Springs
If your garage door is making excess noise or not functioning properly, one of the most likely culprits for this is the garage door springs. They are a part of your garage door that experiences wear and tear with every use of the door, so they need a lot of care and attention.
To help you avoid the problem of damaged and broken garage door springs, let’s look at some of the most common causes of springs breaking, other than regular wear and tear, so that you know some key things to avoid and look out for.
Build-up of rust
If your garage door springs become rusted, then they will be weaker and will experience more friction from every day use than healthy springs. This will cause them to wear down quicker, significantly reducing their lifespan. To help prevent the build-up of rust, we recommend applying lubricant to the springs every couple of months and making sure your garage door is properly weather-proofed to reduce exposure to rain.
Incompatible springs
If your garage door has been installed with the incorrect springs or if they have been installed incorrectly, then they are likely to break sooner rather than later. Make sure that you have your garage door installed and maintained by a professional and reputable company to avoid issues such as these.
Poor maintenance
Your garage door springs, and all the other parts that make it up, will need routine inspection and maintenance to ensure they remain functional over a long lifespan. Perform visual checks on your garage door springs regularly and arrange for routine maintenance whenever it is needed.
How to spot damaged springs
How can you tell if your springs are damaged or might break when conducting your visual checks? Here are a few signs to look out for:
- A stretched-out spring experiencing lack of tension
- Separation in the spring
- Rust or corrosion
- Visible wear and tear
You may also be able to spot damage in the way that your garage door functions, for example, if it opens in a jerky manner or won’t open all the way, or if it makes excess noise when opening or closing.
If your garage door springs do break, then check out this blog to help you know what to do when that happens. You can also contact us directly for help with garage door repair or maintenance around Winston Salem, Greensboro, High Point, and Kernersville.