Your garage door springs do all of the hard work when it comes to your door opening and closing. So it should be no surprise if they break, it’s good to know what causes them to break so that you’ll be able to lengthen the life of the spring before you can’t get your car out of the garage.
The spring assists with the lifting by releasing tension when the garage door is raising. Your garage door springs have the most tension when the garage door is in the closed position. Because of this, most garage door springs break when the door is down. In the occasional instance when the spring breaks while the door is in the open position, the door may come crashing down. There are several reasons why the springs may break. Here are the top three:
Wear and Tear
That may seem like a lot, but consider that you go through a minimum of 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 accumulate quickly.
Rust
If any rust develops on the spring for any reason, its lifespan will be dramatically shortened. Spraying down the spring with a silicone-based lubricant three or four times a year can greatly assist in keeping it well lubricated and extend its life expectancy.
Improper Maintenance
In addition to lubricating the spring with white lithium grease a few times a year, check the garage door balance at least once a season, especially in the winter when most springs fail. Contact us now for more information about garage door springs and garage door spring repair.