Garage Door Spring Repair Basics: What You Need To Know

Your garage door depends on a set of springs to help control the door's movement and operation. Those springs are under extreme tension and, because of the demanding role that they serve, they are vulnerable to wear and failure. Understanding the signs of garage door spring trouble and the fundamentals of why you should seek professional repair can help you to be prepared for this type of issue. Here's a look at what you need to know.

Are Your Garage Door Springs Failing?

The first step toward addressing a garage door spring problem is recognizing that you have a problem with the springs. Many homeowners don't recognize the signs of garage door spring issues until one of the springs breaks entirely. Knowing the early indications of a problem can help you to avoid complete failure. 

For example, if you disconnect your garage door from the opener and pull the door up so that it's open to about the height of your waist, does the door stay in place when you let it go? If the door starts dropping when you let go of it, that indicates that your garage door springs are no longer doing their job and should be replaced.

Another indication of failing garage door springs is excessive noise from the springs when you operate the door. If your garage door springs are squeaking, squealing, popping, or making other unusual sounds, that is a key indication that something isn't right.

Can You Fix Garage Door Springs Yourself?

Garage door springs are one of those things that would be truly best left to the professional, but there is one thing that you can do to try to resolve the problem before you call a garage door repair technician. 

If your garage door springs are noisy, try applying some lubricating oil to the springs. See if lubrication helps to quiet the noise. Just remember, don't touch the springs when you're putting the lubricating oil on them. A damaged spring that breaks can become a projectile because of the tension on the spring.

Why Hire A Professional?

Aside from the fact that garage door springs are under extreme tension and therefore pose a safety hazard, there are a few other reasons why you should call a garage door repair technician to address worn or damaged springs.

For example, garage door repair technicians have the training and the equipment to cut the springs to the proper size when necessary and to safely compress them to put them into place. Additionally, they know how to ensure that the tension on the door is correct, eliminating the risk of a hard-to-move door that becomes a safety hazard. Finally, garage door repair technicians will ensure that your door is balanced before they finish the job, so you can be confident that your garage door will function as it should.

Contact a company like Overhead Door Mason City to learn more.

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