Common Signs You Have a Broken Garage Door Spring

The springs on your garage door are critical when it comes to the overall functioning and performance of your garage door. If one or more springs are starting to wear down, you may notice a variety of strange occurrences going on with your garage. Properly diagnosing garage door issues can be complicated, but luckily, there are several signs you can look for that will indicate that you likely have a garage door spring issues on your hands.

Read the following descriptions below of the most common worn spring symptoms and find out more about how you can replace or repair a broken garage door spring as soon as possible.

Sign #1 - There are Visible or Hanging Cables

Often times, homeowners will assume they are dealing with a broken cable issue in their garage when it is actually a spring that is to blame. This is because garage door cables will fall, become disconnected, or break whenever a spring does. Most of the parts on your garage door are intricately connected. They all work together to lift and operate your garage door. If something is off with one of the parts or pieces, the issue may manifest elsewhere. This is why it is common to see hanging or broken cables when actually your garage door springs may be to blame.

Hanging cables are most common with extension springs. Extension springs, in particular, have cables in the center of them that act as safety cables. If an extension spring breaks, the safety cable will be there to hold it in place. If you notice a hanging cable, be sure to call for professional help immediately as it can be very dangerous to operate your garage with an extension spring that is broken or has a disconnected safety cable.

Sign #2 – You Hear a Loud Noise Common from Your Garage

A lot of homeowner’s state that the first sign they had that something was wrong with their garage door was hearing a loud ‘bang’ or some kind of loud noise coming from their garage. Torsion springs, in particular, will make a loud noise when they break. Torsion springs are mounted over your garage door and have a shaft coiled tightly in the middle of the spring. When torsion springs break, this center coil unravels very quickly, sometimes in less than a second. The noise homeowners will hear is the sound of the coil unraveling and spinning in the shaft.

Sign #3 – There is a Gap in One of the Springs

A gap in one of the torsion springs on your garage is one of the most obvious signs that something is wrong. A 2-inch gap between the torsion springs is almost always an indicator that one or more springs is faulty and will need to be replaced.

Sign #4 – The Garage Door Falls Quickly on the Way Down

If your garage falls quickly and without any sort of control on the way down, then you will likely need to replace one of the springs. Garage door springs help carry the weight of the garage door and control the speed of its movements. Any change in the speed of your garage door may indicate a spring problem.

Sign #5 – Your Garage Door is Making a Jerking Motion

You may also notice that your garage door makes a jerking motion when it is rolling up, down, or both. This could be due to a misaligned track or a broken garage door spring. Be sure to call a professional as soon as possible if you notice any kind of symptoms like this.

Sign #6 – Your Garage Door is Crooked

If one of your garage door springs is broken, you may also notice that the garage door is lopsided or crooked. Do not attempt to operate your garage door if this is the case. It is best to leave it in a closed position, if possible, and wait for professional help to arrive. 

How to Repair a Garage Door Spring

Garage door spring repairs are the kind of projects you will want to leave up to the experts. Garage door springs are responsible for counterbalancing the weight of your garage and controlling its pace as it rolls up and down. Springs also allow owners to open their garage doors with ease or the motor to open and close the garage without strain. Springs play an important role overall so it is imperative that they function well.

Fixing a garage door spring yourself is never advised. An inexperienced adjustment or replacement could result in the garage door collapsing or some other similar mishap. Instead of trying to save money or time by taking care of a spring repair yourself, go ahead and call a local garage door spring repair expert.
A professional garage door repair service can provide the help you need and allow you to get your garage fixed up without risking injury to yourself or someone else. It can be very easy to hurt yourself while attempting to repair any part of your garage, especially when it comes to the springs.