Have you ever experienced parking your car in the driveway because your garage door won’t open when you click the remote?
It’s inconvenient, right? What’s more, you don’t know how to fix the issue when your garage door malfunctions.
A malfunctioning garage door happens due to various reasons. But mostly, it occurs when the garage door spring breaks.
While it’s a common issue for garage doors, it’s easy to fix it. However, you need a professional to do the job.
Furthermore, this guide will help you to know how a garage door spring breaks.
By knowing this topic, you’ll know when to call for assistance.
How frequently do you need to change your spring?
Garage door springs are durable, especially if it’s the high quality you’re using the right type.
So it’s rare that you have to change the springs often.
While it can be durable, it is still prone to damages due to its lifespan.
Here are some facts you need to know about garage door springs:
- Garage door springs come in two types: extension spring and tension spring. Extension spring lasts up to 10,000 cycles while the torsion lasts up to 20,000 cycles.
- Once the garage door spring reaches its lifespan, you’ll expect to break and cause problems for your garage door.
- If you use your overhead door twice a day, expect that your spring will last up to 14 years. You can do the math if you’ve been using your garage door more than twice a day. The life of the spring will vary on how frequently you’re using your garage door.
Reasons why springs break
Since you’ve estimated how long your springs will last, it’s time for you to know how a garage door spring breaks and what you can do about it.
1 Rusty Spring
You’ve probably ignored the rust on your garage door spring.
Rust can develop in the spring because it’s made of metal.
Once a metal is exposed to air, it will rust over time.
If there’s rust on your spring, it will shorten the life of your spring.
Rust increases the friction between the coils on the springs when you open and close your door.
Also, the corrosion makes the spring susceptible to damage.
To solve this issue, lubricate your springs with a silicone-based as frequently as possible.
Not only will lubrication avoid friction, but it will also lengthen the life of the spring.
2 Spring shows signs of wear and tear.
As mentioned, a spring can last up to 10,000 to 20,000 cycles, depending on its type.
If you convert it into years, it will last up to 14 years when you use your garage door twice a day.
The more you use your overhead door, the more the spring is susceptible to wear and tear.
Wear and tear is the reason why your garage door springs break.
If you want to avoid this issue, buy a spring with more life cycles.
You can also check the condition every once in a while.
When spring begins to wear, a garage door springs replacement is recommended.
3 Low maintenance on the springs
All equipment lasts longer or shorter, depending on how frequently you’ve been taking care of your garage door.
If you’ve been neglecting maintenance for a long time, the chance is, it will eventually fail.
Make sure to lubricate the rusty spring or check the spring’s condition all the time.
In this way, you’ll be able to spot the issues earlier. Hence, you can save on significant repair costs.
Choose the right garage door springs
If your current garage door springs don’t work anymore, you need to replace them.
A damaged spring can contribute to a lot of issues on your garage door.
Before replacing, make sure to choose the right garage door springs for your door.
If you don’t know how to pick the right spring, you can always ask for help from a garage door repair company near you for advice.
Another option is to watch this video on choosing the right spring for you. After, you can replace it.
If you’re eager to do the garage door springs replacement on your own, it’s okay.
Ensure that you are also an experienced DIYer to do the job correctly.
You might not want to injure yourself in the process.
However, the best way to replace it is to leave the job to a garage door service if you’re in Vancouver.
With Vancouver Overhead Doors, we will help you choose the right spring for you.
We will also give you more information on how a garage door spring breaks and how to take care of it.
If you need help regarding your springs, contact us, and we’ll provide the best service that you deserve!
