At the core of every garage door are its springs. Springs play a pivotal role in all garage doors, allowing them to function during the opening and closing process. . Springs are essential components of this entire process, so if something as crucial as your springs happens to break, the entire mechanism will malfunction and break down.
If a spring breaks, then the garage door could put you and your family in harm’s way. This can cause the garage door to collapse and loose metal to shoot outward at high speeds striking anything and anyone nearby. This creates severe injuries and costly damages. However, by maintaining your springs and your door’s other moving components, you can be sure your garage door will last over its average life expectancy.
In order to get to this point, you need to get down to the root of this problem. So what causes a garage door spring to break? Find out below.
Types of Springs
There are two types of springs used for garage doors, extension and torsion springs. If you can differentiate between the two, you will understand one of the reasons why springs can break quicker than others. Both extension and torsion springs can provide a counterbalance to the garage door’s weight, allowing the doors to operate smoothly.
Extension Springs
If a garage door has extension springs, then they are most likely on both sides of a door. This system typically consists of tracks, pulleys, and a cable. These components come together to counterbalance the door, allowing it to open and close.
Extension springs are also made up of a lot of parts, making it more probable for something to go wrong. If these springs happen to break they are more likely to damage property and even people because they will shoot out haphazardly.
Torsion Springs
Torsion springs utilize a completely different system for a garage door to function properly. This system is usually mounted directly above the door and built around the torsion spring and steel shaft. This system uses cable drums and bearing plates at each end to reduce the force from lifting the garage door.
Additionally, torsion springs are easy to maintain and have fewer parts than extension springs. This makes them less likely to break. All you would need to do is lubricate the springs frequently to ensure they don’t corrode over time.
The Causes of a Garage Door Spring Break
Whether your garage has extension springs or torsion springs, they need proper care. The maintenance—or lack thereof—is what determines how long your springs last. You can see what causes a garage door spring to break here.
Rust
Thanks to rust, something as tough as steel can be reduced to a flaky powder-like substance. Without care, rust will begin to deteriorate your springs over time, which may be the reason why your springs have broken or are on the cusp of breaking.
Wear
Much like with anything, when garage door springs are active for a long period of time, they will wear down. After 10,000 times of using a garage door, both opening and closing, the springs will give out. Depending on how often you use your doors, this can be anywhere from three to seven years.
Incorrect Installation
Your springs can also break without the proper installation. If the wrong springs were installed, stress will be placed on your springs, causing them to break more quickly. This can also be the case if a technician incorrectly installs the springs in general.
Preventing What Causes a Garage Door Spring to Break
To prevent a garage door spring break, lubrication is the key. Lubrication is what will slow down the aging process of your springs and prevent rust from overtaking them. It’s important to lubricate your springs often so they will last.
Aim to lubricate them every year or whenever need be. The same goes for the other moving parts of your garage doors. This is ideal so they also won’t corrode over time, making your garage door obsolete.
Garage Door Repair La Porte At Your Service
Now that you know what causes a garage door spring to break, give our team a call to assist. If you need spring repairs, adjustments, lubrication, or a replacement, we have the team for you. So don’t wait and get the help you deserve with Garage Door Repair La Porte.
