Top Reasons Garage Door Springs Break

By Tony Hall

Your garage door springs do their job endlessly, day after day, until one day, one of them breaks. There were no warning signs. It just happened. It can leave you wondering what might have gone wrong. We’ll tell you what may have happened in this article.

What is the most common cause of garage door springs breaking?

The biggest reason for springs to break is just plain wear and tear. You open and close that door more often than you might think.

Think about how many times a day you use that door. Every time someone drives a vehicle housed in the garage, the door has to go up and down when they leave and again when they return. If there are two vehicles in the garage, that doubles the number of times the door opens and closes every day. Many people keep lawn equipment in the garage. The door goes up when they are mowing and goes down when they put things up. 

After about 8,000 cycles of opening and closing, garage door springs become susceptible to stress fractures. With normal use, garage door springs can last from five to seven years. If you know your springs are older than that, getting a garage door specialist to inspect them is a good idea.

Are there other causes for garage door springs to break?

Rust is another issue that can cause spring failure. If a spot of rust takes hold on one of the springs and begins to spread, it can cause the spring to fail. Proper maintenance helps keep springs in good shape by preventing rust from setting in. It also gives homeowners the chance to see if the springs are letting the door sag. That is a sign the springs need to be replaced.

Another problem is not having the proper springs installed. Most garage door manufacturers recommend installing two torsion springs. However, some builders and homeowners want to save money and only install one. Making one do the work of two will shorten its lifespan substantially.

What should a homeowner do if a garage door spring breaks?

Garage door springs, especially torsion springs, are very dangerous. Do not try to repair or replace one of these springs yourself. Call a licensed, experienced garage door company to handle it. They have the equipment and training on how to dismantle old springs and install new ones without injury.

If you need someone to repair a garage door spring or to inspect your old ones, give us a call here at Willow Creek Overhead Door. We have several sizes available as well as specials. We are a full-service garage door company providing service for residential and commercial needs in the Amarillo, Texas area.

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