Who’s Who and What’s What?
Your garage door works hard, but what exactly does it do? You may have overheard the terms “opener,” “cable,” or “spring,” but let’s do a deeper dive into what some of these terms mean. Today we’re unpacking garage door springs and discussing the top five things you should know about garage door spring repair.
1. What is a garage door spring?
A garage door spring is a tightly wound steel coil used to counteract the weight of your garage door. Garage doors can be very heavy depending on their size and the materials used in their construction. Common materials include wood, steel, and glass. Bearing this in mind, your garage door spring, or springs, need to be able to efficiently lift and place down hundreds of pounds multiple times throughout the day. That’s a tall task! And as such, your garage door springs must be kept in peak condition to perform this task well. Garage door spring repair is a crucial element of the repair services we provide.
There are two types of garage door springs:
- Torsion Springs
- Extension Springs
Torsion Springs
Torsion springs are thicker bands of wound steel that use torque (rotating force) to counterbalance the weight of your garage door. The heavier the door, the thicker the torsion spring. Torsion springs are mounted horizontally above their respective garage doors for efficient weight distribution.
Extension Springs
Extension Springs work in tandem as a two-part system mounted on either side of your garage door to counterbalance its weight when opening and closing. As opposed to turning, like torsion springs, extension springs fully expand and contract when operating your garage door.
2. Why is garage door spring repair necessary?
There are no ifs, ands, or buts about it. Repairing your garage door springs is a necessary service to ensure that your garage door stays operable. Why? Because broken or mismanaged springs can lead to serious damage or injury. With nothing to manage the weight of your garage door, it may slam down onto your vehicle, your valuables, or worse yet, you! Don’t bear the burden of replacing your belongings when you can simply replace your springs.
3. What causes garage door springs to become inoperable?
Since garage door springs incur the task of lifting your garage door, it’s only natural that they become weakened over time by the weight of the material they’re lifting. Garage door spring repair considers this and can be a proactive service used to prevent more significant garage door issues before they arise.
Many factors can come into play when considering the functionality of your garage door springs. Here are a few reasons why your garage door springs may need replacement or repair:
- They are overdue for maintenance
- They have become fractured
- They are broken
- They show signs of weathering or rust
- They are at the end of their lifespan
- They aren’t turning or extending properly
4. What is garage door spring repair?
Garage door spring repair is the process of repairing your garage door springs to ensure the garage door unit is operating properly. This service includes spring lubrication, tending to fractured areas in the spring, or an overall spring replacement. A replacement, in this sense, is viewed as a repair in that this service is applied to one faction of your garage door system to promote the success of the entire unit.
* Safety suggestion: Spring repair is not a DIY service. Repairs of this magnitude must be performed by a seasoned professional to ensure safety.
5. How long do garage door springs last?
Now that we’ve discussed the “what,” “where,” and “why,” let’s tackle the “when.” When should you get your garage door springs replaced, and how long do they last? Garage door springs last between 10,000 and 20,000 cycles, or roughly 7-10 years with proper maintenance. A complete cycle consists of one opening and closing of your garage door. Extension springs will last up to 10,000 cycles and torsion springs will maintain for about double that amount of rotations.
*Pro tip – If you had multiple garage door springs installed around the same time, it’s best to repair them all. If one breaks due to aging, it’s safe to assume that the others aren’t too far behind.
Pro Garage Doors Is Here To Help!
Contact Pro Garage Doors if you’re looking for Northern California garage door spring repair services near you! Our team of highly skilled technicians is always eager to help. Reach us at our Redding, CA location (530- 776-4204) and our Chico, CA location (530- 328-3776) for your garage door spring repair today!
