Published on 21 December 2017
When it comes to your garage door, the chances are that you’re mainly paying attention to the elements which you can see, namely, the garage door panels themselves and the door opener. Your garage door springs, however, probably receive much less attention.
This shouldn’t be the case though – your garage door springs are arguably the most important part in the opening/closing mechanism of the door. Further, your garage door springs can also be one of the most dangerous elements of your garage door’s opening mechanism and, as such, must be handled with care. If your garage door is broken, the likelihood is that your springs are implicated in some way.
In light of this, this month we will be talking about the nature of the springs themselves, how to know when they’re broken, and how to replace them.
Garage door springs can generally be split into two categories – torsion springs, which are located above the closed garage door and extension springs, which are located above the upper tracks on both sides. The key difference between the two, besides their location, is that extension springs require a safety cable, which helps keep that spring stable in the event of damage.
If your garage door is simply making a few squeaks during its opening or closing cycle, the chances are that your springs aren’t broken. However, they could probably do with some garage door lubricant. If lubricant doesn’t solve the problem, then this could indicate there is a more serious problem.
If you have a garage door with extension springs and you’re aware that it is a fairly old door, then you should definitely check whether you have safety cables installed. If not, then you should get some cables installed immediately, as they can cause a serious health risk if your springs were to break without them.
Finally, if your garage door doesn’t seem to be opening smoothly, and you’ve attempted to open the door manually in order to check whether this is still the case, then there is a good chance the springs are off balance. This problem is serious and should be dealt with speedily.
There are DIY-inclined people out there who have fixed their springs successfully with no help but, that said, we would never recommend attempting to fix your springs alone. Broken springs are extremely dangerous and could result in your door falling closed. We would advise that you call in a reputable company to take a look at your springs instead. Better to be safe than sorry.
Diamond Garage Doors provide a comprehensive range of garage doors and garage door maintenance services in the Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Hertfordshire and Norfolk regions. If your garage door is beyond repair and a lick of paint will not suffice, we can fit new doors in a matter of hours and are more than happy to safely dispose of your old garage door in an environmentally friendly way. Choose from ‘up and over’ doors, sectional doors, electrically operated doors, as well as roller shutter garage doors and wooden garage doors. Our made to measure doors cannot be beaten. Contact us today for a free survey and quote.
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