Garage door springs offset the weight of a garage door and allow the door to be opened and closed easily, either by hand or by an automatic garage door opener. The high-tension steel in the springs has a limited lifespan, and over time, they lose their effectiveness, can rust and snap with a loud bang.

Most residential garage doors today use torsion spring systems. Torsion springs are heavy-duty springs mounted to a metal rod that runs parallel to the door directly above the door opening. These springs are loaded, or tensioned, with a twisting action. When the door closes, cables attached to the bottom corners of the door pull on pulleys attached to the ends of the metal rod the springs are mounted on. The pulleys turn the rod, which twists the springs and creates tension. When the door is opened, the springs unwind and help lift the door.

Aging garage door springs cause the door to effectively “weigh” more as the spring loses its resiliency. With new springs, a heavy garage door should take no more than about 10 pounds of force to lift into an open position. With springs nearing the end of their lifespan, the force required to lift the door can be considerably more, since garage doors can weigh 200 pounds or more.

A garage door with aging springs puts an enormous load on an automatic garage door opener, so another sign of failing springs is when you hear the electric door opener begin to strain as it attempts to lift the door. At this point, it is time to consider replacing the springs. Aging door springs can also break suddenly, a situation that can cause the door to slam shut violently. If you happen to be present when a spring breaks, you will hear a very loud sound like a gunshot, because the break usually occurs when the spring is fully loaded. When one spring breaks, the door will suddenly feel very heavy when you try to open it by hand, and an automatic garage door opener may no longer be able to lift the door properly. If one spring breaks it is always recommended to replace both springs at the same time, as when one breaks it puts extreme stress on the opposing spring and will cause it to fail shortly thereafter.

It is always wise to hire a professional when working with torsion springs because installed springs are always under tension. Working with big, heavy springs (not to mention big, heavy doors) is inherently dangerous. Always take precautions to prevent injury if a spring suddenly slips, come loose, or breaks, and always be aware of what is affected by a spring’s tension: namely, pulleys, cables, automatic openers and doors.

KJ’s Garage Door Repair pros can replace garage door springs in a timely and accurate manner. We are a licensed, bonded, and insured company with skilled technicians ready to help solve your springs replacement project today!