Wear and Tear

The biggest reason for garage door spring failure is simple wear and tear. Most springs are engineered and rated for about 10,000 cycles – one cycle being the garage door going up and coming back down to close.

That may seem like a lot, but consider that you go through at least two cycles a day just getting the car out of and back into the garage. If you go on any errands, a spouse goes to work through the same garage, or kids open and close the door for any reason; those daily cycles can add up.

Like most homeowners, your garage door has become your front door and receives excessive use. You might want to consider getting extended-life torsion springs, which are rated for 20,000 or more cycles.

Rust

If the spring develops rust for any reason, its lifespan will be dramatically shortened. Rust increases the friction between the coils while they move back and forth. In addition, the corrosion on the spring itself will weaken the coils and lead to failure more quickly.

Spraying down the spring with a silicone-based lubricant three or four times a year can greatly assist in keeping it well-lubricated and extending its life expectancy.

Improper Maintenance

All garage door springs will eventually fail, but professional maintenance service can prolong their lifespan and alert you when they get close to failure. This can help prevent potentially destructive explosive breaking of the spring and the headache involved in fixing it as quickly as possible.

In addition to maintenance service, you can lubricate the spring with white lithium grease a few times a year and check the garage door balance at least once a season, especially in the winter when most springs fail.

To check balance:

Pull the emergency release cord to place the door in manual mode.

Lift the door halfway and let go of it. The springs should be in good working order and keep it balanced and still. If not, the door will sag and fall, and the springs are starting to show signs of wear and may need adjustment or replacement.

Garage door springs are essential for opening and closing your garage door — if they break, you’ll know it.

Signs of broken springs

Loud noise: When a spring breaks, the sudden release of energy can cause it to make a loud crashing sound.

The door falls quickly: A broken spring can cause an unbalanced door that falls faster than usual when closing.

Opens slowly: Broken spring can make it harder for the opener to pull the door’s total weight so that it may open more slowly than usual.

Crooked: A broken extension spring can cause one side of the door to pull up faster than the other, making the door appear crooked.

Door jerks: It may jerk as it moves up and down.

The door gets stuck: Garage door may get stuck while moving along the track.

Won’t open: Your door may not open, even when you use the emergency release.

Gaps: You may notice a gap between the rings in the torsion spring.

Loose cables: The spring may have trouble functioning correctly if the cables are loose or slack.