We aren't talking about a week at the beach in April with all of your college buddies. Nope, we're talking about the spring system in your garage. When it breaks, you'll hear it!
Considering that it sounds something like a gunshot, you might need a second to catch your breath. You'll look around for the cause and struggle to find it. The next morning, when you go to open the door, something won't be quite right. There'll be a funny clinking sound, and the door won't open.
You'll look around some more, and suddenly you'll see it—the lifting spring that was once a solid piece has shattered in two!
How could this be? Did you do something wrong? There must have been some sign that this was about to happen. If you find yourself in this situation, take a minute to keep reading, and we'll explain everything you need to know about why lifting springs break and what you can do to prevent it from happening again in the future.
You need a functioning spring system
If you're unfamiliar with your garage door's spring system, you probably won't know which spring is which. Generally speaking, residential doors have two different spring systems:
1. THE TORSION SPRING SYSTEM
If you look above the head of the door, you'll find a steel tube attached to the wall.
Inside this tube, a torsion spring is designed to help transfer weight from the door to the anchor, which you'll find mounted to the door's center.
Occasionally, you can find it at the end of the horizontal tracks if there's not enough headroom in the garage. This is known as a double horizontal or low headroom track.
2. THE EXTENSION SPRING SYSTEM
If you look to the side of the door, you'll find springs placed just above the horizontal tracks.
You may have guessed from their name, but the extension spring system extends out to help lower and lift the door. They are almost always installed with safety cables, particularly if done by a professional.
The safety cable helps stop the spring from damaging anything in the garage should the spring break. If the spring were to fall onto your car, it would be expensive to fix and potentially dangerous for your family.
Another fun fact about the spring system is that it also works as a counterweight system for the door.
Imagine a door that is 9x7 ft. with a single row of windows. The door's deadweight—the total weight—is around 135 lbs.
To open a door this size by hand, it would have to be counterweighted. The spring system helps achieve this.
If the door is well-balanced, it should only weigh around 8 to 10 lbs. That goes for doors with an electric garage door opener, too!
You might not realize it, but the electric opener is only doing what you could do with manual effort. That being said, though, openers can still lift the door's full 200lbs.
When the door starts coming down, it will come with the full amount of weight, so be sure that you're not in the way when it starts descending.
Some reasons why lifting springs break
You might be asking yourself why lifting springs break. Here are five of the most common reasons why:
1. Nothing lasts forever
It doesn't matter if it's the extension or torsion system; these springs will only last around five to seven years.
The vast majority of manufacturers build their garage doors with 10,000-cycle spring systems, meaning the springs will last through 10,000 openings and closings.
Let's say you use your garage door four times a day. By the end of a year, you'll have gone through 1,500 cycles.
If you use your garage any more than that, you should consider finding a system with 20 to 25,000-cycle springs. Not all manufacturers offer these systems, but some do.
2. Faulty springs
Anything is possible, so it's within the realm of belief that a manufacturer could have sold a faulty product. If the extension spring breaks, check to see if the ring at the end of the spring snapped off. If the torsion spring breaks, likely, it wasn't appropriately galvanized and the spring corroded.
3. Wrong spring calibration
Occasionally the problem is that you don't have the right spring installed. The door might still open and close, but because it's not the correct spring, the door's weight will put too much stress on the system. Springs are calibrated to work within 5% variation, so if a spring designed for a 100 lbs door is used on a 150 lbs door, it won't last for very long.
4. A harsh environment
Because most garages are not insulated, they're either extremely hot or freezing cold.
Even if your garage is insulated, springs are usually installed near the outer walls and don't benefit from insulation. Manufacturers know this and galvanize their springs up to 30% and 40%, but springs will still rust even with that protection. In temperatures below -130F (-25 0C), the metal may even snap.
5. Poor maintenance
Treat your garage like a car. It is a machine and needs some occasional maintenance.
The most important thing you can do is twice-yearly lubrication of metal parts that rub against each other. Try to do this in the fall when temperatures first start dropping below freezing and then again when the temperatures at night are rising.
Boost Your Spring System’s Lifespan Easily
Lubricate Once Each Year or when needed.
It’s easy, all you need to do is use a non-drip lithium base oil. Use a cloth or spray carefully and apply it completely around the coils.
Wipe off the excess and that’s all there is to it. Lubrication keeps the springs in better shape and can help to eliminate clinking noises in springs.
After few years the lubricant might pick up some dust, you can easily wipe it off and replace the lubricant.
Check with your garage door dealer to get the lubricants you’ll need.
Can anyone help me with this?
If your schedule is full, don't feel like you have to take care of everything by yourself! Your local Garaga dealers are more than happy to help out with our " Garage Door Tune-up " program. Just like you take your car in for yearly maintenance, why not do the same for your garage door before the freezing winter weather arrives?
Has your door outlived itself?
Go ahead, contact us at 709-368-7222.
Our experts at Garaga know garage doors and garage door openers better than anyone else. We will assess your home and determine exactly what you need while still sticking to your budget. If you want, we will even give you a quotation by email.
Maybe you want an entirely new door? If so, use our mobile-friendly Design Centre to find the right door for your home. All you need is a photo of your house, and you can try out as many doors as you like!
If you need some ideas, check out our Residential Garage Door Gallery for inspiration.
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