Whether you are concerned about extension springs or torsion springs for a garage door, there are a few telltale signs you can look out for signs that will let you know when it's time to have them tightened, or just replaced in some cases. Having dealt with numerous loose, worn, and broken garage door springs in Arvada over the years, we have amassed a wealth of knowledge on this particular issue and today we would like to share it with you, in the hope it may help you to diagnose your garage door spring problems in the future. As usual, if you can't find the solution you are looking for in this article, you are welcome to call and speak to one of our garage door repair experts.
Do the Springs on Your Overhead Doors Need to Be Tightened or Replaced?
If you have started to experience some operational issues with your garage door installation or it's simply performing differently than before, there is a chance it may be the springs that are causing the problem. If you have noticed any of the following signs recently, we recommend a closer inspection of the springs that provide the lifting power to your garage door opener:
- The Door Opens and Closes at an Angle – If one side of your garage door opens or closes faster than the other, you may have a problem with your springs. This type of issue is more prevalent on garage doors with extension springs, owing to the fact there are always two extension springs, one on either side of the garage door. If your door has a torsion spring, you are less likely to encounter this particular symptom. If your door starts to look crooked when opening or closing, we urge you to contact a local professional rather than attempting to fix it yourself. Heavily worn extension springs can be very dangerous if not handled with care and for this reason, only experienced and fully insured technicians should attempt to repair or replace them.
- The Door Moves Very Slowly – Another common sign of problems with torsion or extension springs is a door that starts to move far more slowly than was previously the case. Badly worn or loose springs can easily cause such behavior and are the first thing a professional technician would check. Even if your springs don't show any visible signs of wear and tear, it is well worth having them inspected by an expert if your door is moving very slowly. As the local overhead door company Arvada residents know they can trust, we receive calls for help from people with slow-moving garage doors regularly and loose or worn springs are often the culprit. However, there are times when a slow-moving door may be a sign of lubrication issues with the rollers, deformed tracks, or perhaps an electrical fault. This is why it is important to ask a local expert for help if you are at all unsure.
- You Hear Unusual Noises When Operating the Door – Worn or loose springs may start to make audible protests when being asked to provide the power to open your garage door. If you start to hear unusual metallic squeals and screeches when opening the door, or a straining sound like something metal is being stretched to the limit, we suggest you stop using the door immediately and call a local expert. When a spring starts to make odd noises like this, it is sometimes only a matter of time before it fails. With this in mind, we cannot encourage DIY folk to attempt a repair themselves. The only sensible option is to contact a qualified and experienced garage door technician and ask them to pay a visit to your home as soon as possible.
- The Door Will Only Open or Close Partially – In some cases, it is possible for garage door springs to wear to a point at which they are still able to exert some force on the door opening mechanism but not enough to open the door fully. If you occasionally find that your door stops at the halfway point when opening, it is possible that your torsion or extension springs need tightening or replacing. For confirmation, we recommend that you contact your local overhead door specialists and ask them to send one of their engineers out to take a look.
If you notice any of the above-mentioned symptoms, there is a good chance that the root cause has something to do with worn, loose, or broken garage door springs. In each case, we suggest a close visual inspection of the springs and a call to your local garage door repair team. Arvada residents are, of course, welcome to contact our service team for urgent assistance at any time.