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3 Ways To Prevent Broken Garage Door Springs

3 Ways To Prevent Broken Garage Door Springs

Broken Garage Door Spring Season in Arizona

Did you know that aging garage door springs have a favorite season? To keep frequent garage door repairs or emergencies at bay, our Iconic professionals strongly suggest garage door maintenance. As the season changes from summer to fall, ’tis the season of a broken garage door spring! Thankfully mild winters are native to Arizona, so it’s not like preparing your home for snowfall. Snowbirds from all over the county flock to Phoenix, Chandler, Scottsdale, and Sun Lakes, AZ for a reason! 

Ensure Your Garage Door Lasts Longer With Iconic Garage Door Services

A broken garage door spring immediately forces your door out of commission. Ensure your garage door lasts longer with Iconic Garage Door Services, and tend to the following simple maintenance practices. If your garage hasn’t been looked at by a garage door professional, the perfect time to replace your worn-out garage door springs is now!

Garage Door Maintenance is Key

Seasonal garage door maintenance like adding lubricant to your springs and calling for a professional tune-up benefits a garage door owner in so many ways. Maintenance can be as simple as tending to your garage door. You don’t have to helicopter over your garage door every day, just tend to the areas that experience the most friction at least twice a year. Also, book Iconic Garage Door Services for a professional garage door maintenance appointment! To avoid a broken extension or torsion spring, follow these maintenance tips: 

1. Give Your Garage Door A Balance Test

garage door maintenance

Your garage door springs might have already spent their last cycle. Keep in mind that springs are only designed to last around 10,000 cycles. If you would like to check the health of your garage door springs, perform an at-home door balance test to determine whether they need to be replaced.

First, disengage your garage door opener so the weight is reliant on your springs. The door balance test is to see if the springs are balanced, and the garage door should stay in place whenever you release it at knee, waist, and shoulder height. If your garage door springs are still intact or they’re working better with added garage door lubricant, your door should open quite easily and without excessive force.

2. Remember to Lubricate Your Garage Door Springs!

Broken garage door springs will immediately put your garage door out of commission. When you hear screeching or grinding each time you open or close your garage door, apply garage door lubricant at least once or twice a year, or before the start of the spring and fall season.

Especially with heavier garage doors, metals and mechanical parts contract when exposed to lower temperatures. In regards to warmer weather, the same rule applies. Metal and mechanical parts within your garage door system expand when they’re exposed to higher temperatures. 

Apply just enough garage door specific lubricant to cover the moving parts of your garage door springs, but not to where it will drip. Also lubricate the bottoms of the rails where the trolley moves back and forth. Make sure it’s a clean surface, and there is no dust or debris before spraying the product.

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3. Periodically Inspect Your Garage Door System

An unbalanced garage door is dangerous, and will quickly wear out every component working to lift the heaviest door in your home. When you call our professionals for garage door maintenance, we will conduct a thorough inspection, perform various balance tests, have lubricant on hand, and tell you which components are in good shape.

Besides a certified and trained garage door professional, you should know your garage door better than anyone else. After each use, the components within your garage door system are counting down their anticipated open and close cycles. It’s a great idea to periodically check your garage door for any tell-tale signs of wear.

  • Look for any loose or hanging parts
  • Tighten loose nuts and bolts with a socket wrench
  • Listen for changes when opening/closing
  • Clean debris from the tracks and sensors
  • Replace remote batteries

If In Doubt, Contact Your Local Iconic Garage Door Services

With the addition of learning how to check your garage door for broken garage door springs, we provided two maintenance hacks you can perform on your garage door at home. Also read more from our previous post about helpful tips about garage door maintenance and check out some of our answers to frequently asked questions.

closeup of Iconic Garage Door Service technician working on garage door

As pumpkins and apples have their peak season in the fall, so do garage door springs! Our service areas are located in the desert, so you don’t have to necessarily winterize your car and garage door when the rest of North America is feeling the effects of the Earth tilted away from the Sun. However when one spring breaks, the other is sure to follow. In summary, avoid the unnecessary strain that a broken garage door spring can cause. If you suspect your garage door springs are broken, contact Iconic Garage Door Services immediately.