Is Your Garage Door Spring Bad? 4 Ways to Find Out

Garage door servicing is vital to enhance its functionality and safety. For this reason, it is imperative to identify when your garage door needs servicing. To do this, you will need to understand the possible signs of faulty garage door components. The garage door springs are some of the most significant parts of your garage door. Unfortunately, the springs tend to lose tension over time or even break, and when this happens, they affect the proper opening and closing of your garage door. Therefore, how would you know that your garage door springs are faulty and require repair or replacement? Watch out for these signs. 

The Door Is Noisier Than Usual

A garage door with properly functioning springs should run smoothly. If your garage door makes excessive noises when closing or opening, chances are you will have to service the springs. These noises can be anything from squeaking, creaking, or grinding sounds and they are usually a result of strained garage door springs. In severe cases when the springs are broken, you will hear a loud noise when your garage door rises. 

Visible Signs of Damage on The Spring

Inspecting your garage door springs periodically will help you detect signs of spring failure early enough. Garage door springs lose tension naturally. When this happens, you will see a visible gap in the spring, which is usually a sign that the springs need attention. Other visual cues of a bad garage door spring include breaks, rust, or grime along the spring. 

The Door Is Crooked

This is another common sign of broken garage door springs. This is often in the case where your garage door system has springs on both sides. If one of the springs break, its unbroken counterpart will still pull, but the door will move up crookedly. In most cases, it will be jerky when moving and bend at the top or get stuck in the tracks. The door can also appear crooked when stationary. All these are signs that the springs require attention. 

You Cannot Move the Door Manually

The design of garage door springs is such that you should be able to lift your garage door manually whenever necessary. If you are unable to do this, chances are the springs are failing and you need to have them serviced. 

It is essential to schedule regular inspections of your garage door to identify possible spring problems soon enough before they become severe and costlier to repair.