If you notice your garage door isn’t working properly, it may be because your spring is broken. This is one of the most common garage door problems people run into, so it’s a good idea to know how to fix it.
In this article, we’re taking a closer look at how to fix a broken garage door spring.
How to Fix A Broken Garage Door Spring
Your garage door is made up of many moving parts, all of which are crucial to its working.
You may not have thought about the spring before, but if it’s broken you can’t use your garage door. That’s bad news if your car’s trapped inside and you need to get it out.
Here’s how to fix a broken garage door spring and be on your way.
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What Your Garage Door Spring Does
The springs on your garage door are some of the most important components of its opening mechanism., These are what gives the garage door the tension it needs to open up and stay open while you drive in and out. You’ll often see that the springs will run through cables, which is a safety measure.
If the spring breaks, then you’ll soon know about it as you won’t be able to get into your garage. Let’s see how you’ll check for a broken spring on your garage door.
How to Know Your Spring Is Broken
There are two ways you’ll know that your spring is broken. Firstly, if you go to open your garage door and it’s not working, that’s a sign that the spring has broken and won’t lift your door anymore. The second sign is a loud banging sound from your garage. As the spring holds so much tension, you’ll see that it snaps with a lot of force. If there’s a cable running through it then this should be safe.
Be aware that although the door isn’t opening, it may not be the spring that’s at fault. Here are a few things to check if you can’t see a problem with the spring:
- Rundown battery, or rusted battery contacts in the garage opener remote
- Unplugged garage door opener
- Radiofrequency problems (which could be opening your neighbor’s door rather than your own)
- The door has been locked manually
- Garage door track is misaligned
Most of these issues are easily handled, so if it’s not the garage door spring, you should still easily be able to handle the problem.
Safety And Broken Springs
Before you start work on your broken garage door spring, you need to ensure your safety. A broken spring is a dangerous piece of equipment. As they break, they have a lot of tension behind them so they can spring off in any direction. If you’re lucky, this will just damage your car, but if you’re in the garage at the same time it can seriously hurt you.
If you have a cable running through the springs, then these will help keep you safe. If the spring snaps, it will simply fall down the cable, as it prevents it from launching off the garage door. If you don’t have cables on your door currently, it’s a very good idea to add them in now as you replace the spring.
If you’re at any point unsure about fixing the spring or aren’t confident in doing it yourself, then don’t worry. You can always call on a garage repair technician to come and handle it for you. This is often the safest option, as they have a lot of experience in repairs. They’ll be able to handle it safely, and you’ll have a working garage door again in no time at all.
How to Fix A Broken Garage Spring
Now you know all this, you actually need to know how to fix your spring. You need to ensure your safety throughout this whole process, so make sure you follow all the steps exactly. Also, ensure you’re wearing the right safety equipment, such as eye protection.
Step 1: Measure your spring’s length and diameter
This will help you get the right spring for your garage door. You may also need to look into lift cables if these need to be added or replaced. When you’re shopping for springs, look for double life springs. These will be stronger than regular springs and last a lot longer before needing to be replaced again.
Step 2: Clamp the garage door down
You want to ensure that the door won’t shoot up as you repair the spring, so use a pair of locking pliers or a C clamp to hold the door in place. It’s also important you unplug the garage door opener, for the same reason.
Step 3: Unwind your broken spring
Ensure that you have a pair of winding bars to do this. Some try to use other tools, such as screwdrivers, to do this job. However, it’s incredibly dangerous to do so. Stand on a ladder off to the side of the spring, so you’re not standing head-on if something goes wrong.
Step 4: Disconnect hardware
Disconnect the nuts and bolts that are holding the springs in place on the center bracket. You will then be able to slide them off, ready for replacement.
Step 5: You’re now ready to replace the springs
Get the new springs, and reassemble the brackets ready to be reattached to the garage door. Once they’re in place, wind the springs. You’ll see that the manufacturer will recommend how tight they need to be, so follow those guidelines. If you don’t get any guidelines, perform 30 quarter turns for a 7-foot tall door, and 36 quarter turns for an 8-foot tall door.
Step 6: Lubricate your springs
Slip some cardboard between the spring and the door, and then saturate the spring with a garage door lubricant spray. Don’t use a spray like WD40, as this isn’t actually designed to be a lubricant. With this, you should be done. Try the garage door to ensure it opens and closes correctly, and if it does the door is ready to be used again.
As you can see changing out the garage door spring is an involved job, but one that is possible to do yourself. You’ll need to take the right precautions, but you can do it safely. If you’re not sure, always call on an expert to help you.
Get an Estimate from a Professional
If you’re interested in getting the job done quickly and professionally, contact Your Garage Door Guys – a family-owned service provider available throughout Ventura County and Los Angeles County.