Your garage door springs are the real workhorses of the garage. They’re under-appreciated, often overlooked and a lot of homeowners don’t fix or replace them until they’ve been broken for a while. The springs alone are reason enough to stick with that annual maintenance check. Don’t assume that they’ll complain when they’re wearing out or that it will be obvious. It will eventually be obvious, but you don’t want to wait until that point. The more you use your garage doors, the more quickly your springs will wear out.
No matter how high quality the springs are or how good the installation was, this busy working part of your garage door will need pampering and replacing over the years. Even if you’re a homebody and only leave through the garage once per day, those springs are taking the doors up and down twice. Add a significant other, extended family members and teenagers into the mix, and suddenly your garage is on overdrive. A great way to reduce wear and tear is to upgrade to torsion springs for an extended life. They’re about twice the cost of regular springs, but can last four times longer – a solid investment.
Hidden Issues With Garage Door Springs
Common wear and tear is one issue, but rust is another beast. It’s one of the most common reasons for garage door spring breakage, particularly in wet or snowy regions. For example, homeowners in Utah probably have to change their springs more often than those in New Mexico. Saltwater is a corrosive, and in coastal towns, this can lead to premature rusting and deterioration. Luckily, routine maintenance (that you can do yourself) can keep rust at bay. This drastically extends the life of your springs. Every quarter, spray a little garage door lubricant onto the springs to keep operations smooth.
While some springs might whine and complain, if you listen closely, your springs have a myriad of ways to tell you something’s wrong. Check the garage door balance by pulling on the emergency cord, which causes the door to disengage from the opener, and testing the open/close function by hand. This lets you hear any hidden squeaks that might not be audible with the motor working. A perfectly functioning garage door will keep the door up even when you lower it just a couple of feet above the ground. If gravity takes over, you may have a problem with the springs.
Let the Pros Handle Your Garage Door Spring Repair
The best way to make sure your garage door, springs and all, is in tip-top shape is to let the professionals handle inspections and maintenance checks. Call your local garage door experts at Canyon Overhead today for a consultation and to schedule an appointment.