A seamless, properly operating garage door is critical to the overall maintenance of your home. Your garage is something you use daily to store your car, tools, sporting equipment, bikes and more. In order to pull your car in and out safely, and have access to the other belongings you may need on a daily basis, your garage must work safely and efficiently.

If the garage door is broken in some way, or your opener isn’t working properly, this is not only an inconvenience but a safety and security issue as well. One common cause of garage disrepair is when the springs are malfunctioning. Here are four questions to ask when your garage door spring breaks.

1.  What Is a Garage Door Spring?

A garage door spring is a small but important part of your door’s opening mechanism. It can handle the door’s torque and thereby make it easier to lift and open. Without this spring, the door would be difficult or impossible to lift.

2.  Is My Garage Door Spring Broken?

If you are having a problem with your door, you may suspect the spring is to blame but you may not really be sure. This is when you should call a professional, who will inspect the situation and determine the root cause. Be sure to tell your technician exactly what has been going on with the door. Common symptoms of spring malfunction include disconnected door cables, loud screeching noises, and improper operation of the door.

Maybe the door opens only halfway and won’t go any further, which is a safety feature of many garage doors. This will prevent the door from opening when the springs have been broken. Perhaps you heard a loud popping noise. This could have been the sound of the spring unwinding.

Other symptoms of a broken spring include a gap in your torsion spring, a bend at the top of the door, and a fast-falling door when shutting.

3.  Why Do Garage Door Springs Break?

There could be many causes:

  • Rust
  • Poor Maintenance
  • Regular Wear

Garage door springs can break anytime, but they seem to break more often in the winter, usually as a result of the temperature change. Metal contracts when the temperature plummets, making it hard on the springs so they may break.

4.  How Often Should I Replace My Garage Door Springs?

The quick answer is: you should replace them when they need to be replaced! If you suspect you have a broken spring but allow the door to continue operating, this can lead to increased damage to the door as well as an increased safety risk. Some factors that will play into how long your springs will last include:

  • Quality of the springs
  • How often you use the garage door
  • How long and cold the winter is
  • How well you maintain them

Contact M&M Garage Doors

If you think your garage door springs have been compromised, please contact us at (586) 610-5434.