Table of Contents
Garage door springs break when you don’t perform maintenance from time to time.
They also fail when they reach the required number of cycles.
When spring is damaged, you’ll immediately know it. It snaps when it breaks, and it’s difficult to lift the door.
The reason behind it is a spring helps to raise and lower the door quickly, as if you’re not lifting any weight.
But, can you repair it by yourself? While you can fix it, it will boil down to the fact if you have the necessary skills to do it.
If you’re uncomfortable doing it, simply leave the job to a garage door repair professional in Vancouver.
They are experts in how to repair a broken garage door spring.
Reasons Why Garage Door Springs Break
Like any other equipment, garage door springs break.
If you want to know the reasons, here are some of them:
1 Wear and Tear
The reason why springs fail is that it has reached its lifespan.
Most springs last for 10,000 cycles or approximately seven years.
Garage doors that are frequently operated many times in a year will cause the springs to fail eventually. Hence, it wears over time.
You can buy springs rated for 20,000 or more cycles if you want it to last long.
However, proper maintenance can also affect the condition of springs.
2 Poor Maintenance
It’s common knowledge that if you take care of your equipment, it will last longer.
This is no exception for springs.
Proper maintenance can prevent your spring from breaking and snapping.
Damage to springs can be very stressful since you cannot repair it.
If you know how to repair a broken garage door spring, the better.
However, it’s better to take preventive measures to prevent it from damage. Thus, don’t ever neglect maintenance.
3 Rust and Corrosion
If rust develops in the spring, it will dramatically shorten the lifespan.
Rust increases friction between the spring coils when overhead doors keep on moving.
Make sure to apply a lubricant on the corroded springs to allow for a smooth operation.
Spring Repair Procedure
There are two types of springs – extension and tension springs.
Extension springs are placed at the side of the vertical tracks.
Hence, it can be easy to repair it compared to tension springs.
Tension springs, on the other hand, are positioned at the top side of the garage doors.
They store a massive amount of tension, which allows for the door to move smoothly.
While they are durable than extension springs, it is dangerous to fix them.
Moreover, there are different approaches on how to repair a broken garage door spring, depending on the type of springs. Read further to find out.
Extension Springs
Generally, you cannot repair a damaged spring.
If you immediately see signs of damage, a garage door springs replacement is the way to go.
Meanwhile, it is easy to replace extension springs, which you can do yourself.
To give you an overview, read the procedure below:
- If you have an automated opener, turn it off.
- Secure the door with C-clamps to keep it in place.
- Remove the spring from the bracket and pulley.
- Detach the cable from its place.
- Install the extension spring.
- Reconnect the pulley and cable.
After you have done the necessary steps, test the door if it’s working.
But if you’re reluctant to do it yourself, you can always call a garage door company in Vancouver for the repairs.
Tension Springs
Tension Springs, on the other hand, only requires a few steps to replace it entirely.
Despite the simplicity of the process, it can be dangerous to do it.
If you want to repair it yourself, watch this helpful video tutorial to walk you through the step-by-step procedure.
DIY or Professional?
In most cases, if one spring is damaged, you can replace the damaged one.
But, you’ll get the maximum performance when you replace both of the springs to even out the strength.
While it can be cost-saving to do the repairs by yourself, it won’t be worth it if you’re not a qualified and experienced DIYer on garage doors.
But if you want to fix the springs because you want to do it right away, don’t worry.
With Vancouver Overhead Doors, expect to repair your springs right away since we provide 24/ 7 garage door repairs.
Call us at any time, and we’ll give you the best service that you deserve.
Call us and receive our prompt and high-quality service!