Visually Inspect Garage Door Springs 4X Per Year
Like many parts of your home, regular inspection and maintenance is key. This is especially true with garage door springs. While we certainly don’t recommend you repair your springs yourself, it is a good idea to inspect your springs occasionally — ideally every 4 months — about 3 or 4 times a year. Look for signs of wear and tear — slack in the springs, rust, brittleness, or broken areas. If you notice any sign of concern, call a garage door professional for a more thorough inspection or spring replacement.
You should always inspect your garage door springs every season, on average 4 times per year. Springs are constantly stretching and pulling. They are under an incredible amount of tension. It’s natural they wear out. In fact, one of the most common garage door repairs we get called for are broken springs. Check them for wear and tear, slacking, brittleness. Check the cables for any kind of fraying. If you notice anything you’re concerned about, call us right away! We can make an emergency house call.
Torsion vs. Extension Springs
You’ve generally got two types of springs when it comes to garage doors: torsion and extension.
Torsion garage door springs use torque to raise the door, hence the name. The springs slowly twist and coil around the shaft. The springs can vary in wire length, depending on the size and weight of the door.
Extension Springs, on the other hand, are located above the horizontal tracks on both sides of the door. These are the most common springs. The springs extend to provide a counter balance to the door. The extension springs are paired with safety cables to prevent them from becoming a projectile if they snap.
Call a Professional to Fix Broken Springs
The torsion springs on your garage door provide the counterbalance against the weight of the door. Like anything else in this world, including ourselves, torsion springs are subject to wear and tear and will eventually need to be replaced, generally every 30 years or so. They’re under an incredible amount of tension and can cause serious bodily harm or even death if suddenly released. Garage doors cause about 30,000 accidents every year, so it’s not a job to take lightly. Repairing the springs takes an expert to do so safely .
All torsion springs have their own cycle rating. Most springs come with a cycle rating of 10,000. Over the last several years, manufacturers have pushed the number up to 33,000.
You should definitely replace both springs if they’re both sufficiently worn. Chances are they were installed at the same time. If one is broken the other won’t be too far behind. Replace both outright and save yourself time and money.
Do Your Garage Springs Need a Tune-Up?
Don’t wait for broken springs. We can inspect your parts for signs of corrosion or other factors that may lead to breakage. Regular maintenance of springs can increase their lifespan and may prevent damage that otherwise would have occurred if they were neglected. Frequent inspections allow your garage to stay safe and reliable for years to come.
Lifecycle of Garage Door Springs
How long do garage door springs last? That depends on how often you use the door and the quality of the spring. Garage door springs are measured in life cycles. One life cycle includes the opening and closing of a door. Most standard garage door springs are 10,000 cycle torsion springs. So if you open and close your door an average of 3 times a day, that’s roughly 1,000 cycles a year, so these springs will last about 10 years. Some higher cycle springs will last 25,000 cycles. Other higher quality springs will last 50,000 cycles.
We’d Be Happy to Help, 24 hours a Day, 7 Days a Week
El Dorado Hills Garage Door Repair has been doing repairs in the El Dorado Hills are for decades. All of our technicians are professional and have been specially certified. We specialize in all types of garage door service and installation. Call us today, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. And remember, just fixing the garage door alone can add a lot of value to your home.