Wooden garage door springs are susceptible to the wear and tear that takes place over the course of time. Continued use of a worn out spring can cause it to break or snap. This can be quite dangerous as it can cause the collapse of the wooden garage door. This can result in a great deal of damage to both person and property.
Even the most durable spring such as die springs are susceptible to damage. This is why it is important to take notice of the signs of wear and to replace them as soon as possible. Here is what you need to know about replacing your garage door springs:
Signs of a Broken Spring
One of the signs of a broken spring is noticed whenever you try to open the door. The garage door opener will experience a significant difficulty in getting the door to lift. This is typically indicative of a damaged or a broken spring. You may also hear an unusual noise when you attempt to open or close the door. In most cases, there will be a loud snapping noise. If you notice that your garage door is hanging at an angle, there is a definite chance that the spring has snapped. You should not approach the area or park any vehicles nearby.
Identifying the Spring
There are usually two types of springs used to hold up wooden garage overhead doors. These are known as torsion springs and extension springs. With a torsion spring, there is usually just one spring above the door, at the top. It will have a spindle that passes through it. The spring works by either compressing the spindle or unravelling it to open and close the door. If the garage door is being held up extension springs, there should be two on each side of the door. These will stretch and coil to aid the opening and closing of the door.
Durability of the Spring
The durability of garage springs are determined by the measure of cycles. This unit refers to the number of times that a spring can be used before it will snap. When deciding upon which spring to get, you should get one that can withstand a great deal of stress. The springs that are most reliable are typically 30,000 cycles or higher. It is unwise to use something lower than this. Springs of a higher caliber should be able to last you over a decade. You need to consider how many times a day you use your garage door when purchasing a replacement spring.
A broken spring can cause a garage door to be vulnerable to even the smallest pressure or movement. You should not attempt to maneuver a door that seems to have a broken spring. If you are not sure what to do, you should always have a professional come and attend to the garage door. In addition to costly structural damage, a badly attached spring can also cause a great deal of physical harm. If you think that there is any deformation of the spring or door, ask a repairman to handle it.
