A Short Summary
-Garage door springs are extremely tight so they can cause severe injuries when worked incorrectly.
-Defective or old springs should be changed on time to avoid any further issues.
-Most home garages use either torsion or extension springs.
-To change the springs of the garage door special equipment, knowledge, and balancing are required.
-Neglecting the damaged springs can cause issues with the garage door opener and other components.
-It is advised to check the springs visually by the homeowner but replacement should be done by professionals.
A garage door might look simple, but one of the most essential elements of this device is a feature that is not usually noticed: the springs. Despite being hidden in plain sight, the springs are crucial to the function of the garage door as they have to take the burden of the opening and closing process. Whenever the springs need to be changed or repaired, homeowners go to the web looking for information regarding phrases like change out garage door springs, how to change out a garage door spring, and garage door spring replacement.
Unfortunately, this is one repair that can be rather dangerous.
Garage door springs hold an amazing amount of mechanical energy. If this energy is improperly released, it can lead to serious injuries and expensive damages or have a garage door that does not work properly anymore.
In this article, we’ll tell you why replacing the springs of a garage door cannot be treated as a typical DIY undertaking, how to tell that the springs have broken, what the safest solution for the homeowner is, and why they need to seek help from a garage door springs repair expert.
What Makes Garage Door Springs So Important?
Garage door springs are in charge of ensuring that the weight of your garage door is correctly balanced.
Without good springs, no automatic opener can lift a heavy garage door. This means that the opener does not have to carry that weight alone, and the springs ensure that it only pulls a fraction of the total weight.
When springs weaken or fail:
-The door becomes hard or even impossible to lift.
-Extra strain is placed on the opener.
-Other components of the garage door get used up faster than they should.
-The whole system is no longer safe to use.
What Occurs When Garage Door Springs Fail?
Garage door springs are components that undergo wear and tear.
Using the garage door in everyday life involves the tension that is placed onto the steel. Most garage door springs can operate between around 10,000 to 20,000 cycles, while high-cycle springs can achieve a longer lifespan relatively.
Factors that result in spring failure include:
-Aging
-Presence of rust
-Change in temperature
-Poor maintenance
-Improper spring size
-Frequent use
Signs Your Garage Door Springs Need to Be Changed
The Door Seems Heavier
When a garage door becomes unexpectedly heavy while being used manually, it can be a sign that the springs are unable to support the weight of the garage door anymore.
The Door Moves Unevenly
In situations where one spring loses strength before the other, the door may move in an uneven manner.
You Hear a Loud Bang
The loud sound of a breaking spring is similar to that of a gun when the spring breaks under pressure.
You Can See the Broken Spring
Broken springs exhibit obvious physical separation in the coils.
The Opener Displays Issues
When an opener suddenly struggles to lift the door, starts to move backward, or is unable to lift the door completely, it is likely that the real issue is with the worn-out springs rather than the opener itself.
Why Should You Avoid Changing Garage Door Springs Yourself?
The simple answer is that garage door springs carry an immense amount of tension. Unlike many household repairs, spring replacement requires the safe disposal of stored mechanical energy.
Without the right equipment and training, one small error could lead to serious consequences. Even the most experienced of DIY homeowners often underestimate the energy stored within a torsion spring.
This is why all professionals within the garage door industry advise against spring replacement done by the homeowner.
Some of the potential hazards are as follows:
-Severe hand injuries
-Broken wrists or arms
-Facial injuries
-Falling garage doors
-Flying metal parts
-Injury or death
What is the Complication Behind Garage Door Spring Replacement?
Many how-to articles available online indicate that replacing the garage door springs is a simple job.
In practice, the process is about more than just getting rid of the old spring. Unfortunately, in order to choose a right spring, one has to take the measurements and perform some calculations, which is not common for the average homeowner.
To make the correct choice, professional technicians need to find out:
-Dimension of the spring
-Thickness of the wire
-Length of the spring
-Inside diameter of the spring
-Direction of winding
-Cycle rating
-Balancing of the door after installation
If the wrong spring has been installed, several problems can be caused:
-Faster wearing of the components
-Ineffective balance of the door
-Damage of the opener
-Reduced lifespan of the spring
-Unsafe operation
Torsion Springs vs. Extension Springs
| Feature | Torsion Springs | Extension Springs |
| Location | Mounted above the door | Along horizontal tracks |
| Operation | Twisting motion | Stretching motion |
| Lifespan | Longer | Shorter |
| Smoothness | Quieter operation | More movement |
| Safety | Generally safer when installed correctly | Requires safety cables |
Modern residential garage doors increasingly use torsion springs because they provide smoother operation and longer service life.
Additionally, if you decide to buy a high quality springs for your garage door you can also check out torsion springs and extension springs on Amazon.
Is It Possible to Replace Only One Garage Door Spring?
On occasion, but this isn’t always a good idea.
When one spring breaks, the other spring has probably been through the same amount of wear.
If both springs are replaced simultaneously, there are several benefits:
-Better balance of the garage door
-Better lifting performance
-Longer life span
-Fewer service calls
-Less strain on the opener
Replacing both springs in dual-spring systems is not only effective, but cost-effective long term solution as well.
What Are Alternative Actions Homeowners Need to Take?
Apart from changing the door springs of a garage door system on their own, homeowners can follow certain simple procedures of inspection.
Homeowners can safely check for the following:
✔ Any visible rust
✔ Broken coils
✔ Any gap in torsion springs
✔ Loose mounting hardware
✔ Unusual movement of garage door
✔ Any noise while operating the said doors
Things to avoid:
-Touching the springs
-Loosening hardware
-Removing the cables
-Making any changes to the garage doors
-Operating a garage door with a broken spring
How Professionals Replace Garage Door Springs
The process used by garage door technicians to replace springs adheres to strict standards of safety so that there is no damage in the future.
The steps involved in the process of replacing the garage door springs by such experts are:
-Examine the entire garage door assembly.
-Determine the specifications for the new springs.
-Prepare the garage door for work.
-Remove the broken spring with care.
-Put in the new springs correctly.
-Balance and test the door.
-Check different aspects of the garage door such as cables, rollers, bearings, etc.
-Perform lubrication of all moving parts when necessary.
-Carry out a number of operational safety tests.
The above mentioned steps help in ensuring the correct working of the garage door without straining the garage door opener and other important parts as well as in keeping the entire assembly in a good condition. Moreover, it is also important to maintain all of the parts of the garage doors to decrease the dangerous risk of worn out garage doors. Hence, maintenance from a garage door professional is necessary.
How to Make Garage Door Springs Last Longer?
Even though springs do give away with time, good practices can help maximize their lives. Additionally, regular maintenance also protects the garage door system as a whole, rather than just its springs.
-Lubricate the moving metal parts several times a year.
-Ensure that no major rust accumulates on the springs.
-Arrange for regular professional checks.
-Pay attention to abnormal sounds.
-Avoid opening and closing of the door frequently especially if it’s unnecessary.
-Change out any damaged rollers before they put strain on the springs.
-Solve problems of balance as soon as possible.
When Should You Call a Professional?
-A spring has broken.
-The garage door will not open.
-The door is crooked.
-You hear loud snapping sounds.
-The opener struggles repeatedly.
-Cables appear loose.
-The door feels unusually heavy.
Final Thoughts
There are homeowners that search for information regarding the garage door springs replacement. In their minds they believe this will be an easy and cheap repair. However, the process of replacing the garage door springs is not in fact a regular DIY task as springs are rather under great tension, which can lead to serious injuries and damages.
The advisable strategy would be to notice warning signs as soon as possible so that it would be possible to avoid using the unit with broken springs and call a professional to check the system.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the lifespan of garage door springs?
Residential garage door springs typically have a lifespan ranging from 10,000 to 20,000 operating cycles. This depends on how often they are used, whether they are maintained, and environmental conditions.
Is it safe to replace garage door springs?
Garage door springs tend to keep a lot of tension. Handling them poorly can at best lead to property damage or at worst can cause injury. Hence, it is safer to hire professionals for replacement.
Can I still operate the garage door if one of the springs is broken?
This is usually not a good idea, as a broken spring can cause more damage to the door opener, and, of course, make it more dangerous in general.
Is it necessary to replace both garage door springs at the same time?
In most cases, if a garage door has two springs, the recommendation is to replace both springs simultaneously due to their equal level of wear and the tendency for the two springs to break around the same time.
What is the way to differentiate between torsion springs and extension springs?
Torsion springs are located above the door, while extension springs can be found along the horizontal tracks on both sides of the garage door.