There is no set amount of time that all garage door springs will last. In general, your springs should last around 10,000 cycles. How often you open your garage will impact how long they last in terms of time. Some springs may last three to five years, while others could last as long as seven or nine. The quality of your springs will also impact the time they last. Inferior quality springs won’t last as long as highly-rated ones. If your garage door springs stop working, you may need to hire someone for a garage door repair.
If you do not feel comfortable changing your garage door springs, let the experts at Overhead Garage Door help. We have decades of experience with garage door repairs, and we only hire very experienced repair technicians. You can relax knowing you’re getting the best service and products available.
Types of Garage Door Springs
“Garage Door Torsion Spring” licensed under CC BY 2.0 via Flickr by byzantiumbooks
There are two main types of garage door springs — torsion and extension. Torsion springs are typically mounted above the garage door, and they usually come in pairs. If your house is older, or there is restricted space, the springs might be mounted at the rear. These springs will balance the door when installed correctly. When a garage door is properly balanced, it means the door requires the same amount of pressure to open and close it.
Torsion springs work by turning as the door is closed. They are typically more sturdy than extension springs and typically last longer, maybe up to 15,000 or 20,000 cycles.
Extension springs are mounted above a garage door track, or you will find them installed on the sides of the garage in a vertical direction. Cables connect extension springs to each corner of the bottom of the door. The object of extension springs is to use the pulling force of the spring to lift the door.
What to Look For When Assessing Whether Your Garage Door Springs Need Replacing
Look for some signs that your springs need replacing before they actually break. With torsion springs, look for doors that are hindered when trying to open and close. If one is broken it will make a loud, banging noise, and the door will feel very heavy. In some cases, it won’t open at all. The might be a gap in the springs as well, usually around 2 inches.
With extension springs, look for springs that don’t expand and contract evenly. You will need to replace them if they are oblong in shape, aren’t symmetrical, or if they have broken already.
There are several reasons why garage door springs may break. In some cases, they may break due to age. For example, if you only open your garage door once a day, you could expect your springs to possibly last up to 14 years. If you are in and out at least twice a day, you’re looking at seven years.
Rust is another reason why garage door springs can break unexpectedly. Rust is especially disastrous for torsion springs. This is because the risk increases the friction and on the springs themselves.
Be sure to check your garage door springs every season. You can use a WD-40 silicone spray so that they stay lubricated and rust-free. If you only have one spring instead of two, it can put too much pressure on the spring, creating too much pressure. If you are unsure whether your springs need replacing, call our office to schedule a consultation. We are happy to come out and give you an estimate, even if your springs don’t even need replacing right now.
What To Do If Your Garage Springs Break
If your garage door springs break, it means you are stuck on one side of the garage. You may be wondering if you can open the garage door if the springs are broken. Before you do anything, start by trying to determine what the problem is and why the garage door won’t open. The issue might be related to something else, not the springs. Two tell-tale signs that the problem is your springs are:
- You try to open the door using your opener. You can hear the motor working, but nothing is happening with the door. You might hear the opener make a noise, indicating that it’s trying to open the door, but it can’t.
- You hear a loud pop that resembles a firecracker. That was likely the spring actually breaking, which releases a lot of energy that could hurt you if you are unsure how to properly repair a garage door spring.
If your spring is broken, don’t try to use the remote opener as it can cause other problems, which are far more expensive to fix. If you absolutely must open the garage door, do not attempt to open the door alone. Garage doors can weigh upwards of 500 pounds. You must be very careful or you run the risk of injuring yourself while trying to open the door manually. The best option is to call a garage door company instead.
Why You Should Consider a Garage Door Company to Replace Your Springs
Attempting to fix a broken garage door spring on your own is very risky. You could seriously injure yourself. It’s better to hire a garage door service company like Overhead Garage Door. Extension springs are dangerous enough, but torsion ones are the most dangerous. When extended, they carry deadly force. They have to because they are designed to lift a garage door that weighs hundreds of pounds.
Replacing garage door springs is relatively inexpensive. Garage door springs may only cost around $20 or $30, while installation might range from $100 to $200. These costs are far less than what it will cost you in hospital bills if you are injured, or if you damage your garage while trying to change the springs. If something is wrong with your garage, let the experts at Overhead Garage Door help. Contact us today to schedule an inspection appointment so we can ascertain what the problem is. Use our online form or call us at 888-459-3720. We will provide you with a free estimate so you can decide how best to proceed.