A garage door spring provides a lot of support in the typical modern system. Consequently, responding quickly when you're facing a garage door spring replacement project will solve a lot of potential problems. If you're not sure whether replacing the spring is the right move, look for these four signs it might be.
Wobbling on Stop
When garage springs are in good shape, they should hold the door fairly tightly. The door shouldn't wobble back and forth or up and down much when it stops, especially at the end of opening. If you can hear the door squeaking for several seconds after the motor has disengaged, that may be a sign the spring is weakening. Similarly, you might see the door bob a bit when the opening process ends. If so, you'll likely want to speak with a garage door spring replacement contractor.
The Door Can't Open
From a functionality standpoint, the worst scenario is one where the door won't open. Notably, you should verify the problem isn't some other component. If you hear the motor trying to work, for example, there's a good chance the problem will be elsewhere.
You should note whether the door will close. Sometimes, the spring is still strong enough to let the door down a bit. However, the door may roll down quickly if there isn't much tension left in the spring. Once the door is down, see if it will go back up. If you have to assist it by hand, there's a good chance the spring may be the culprit.
Squeaking
A failing spring doesn't necessarily quit at once. Instead, it may get creakier and squeakier. If the door sounds much noisier during operation, you may want to consider a spring replacement.
Slow Operation
Similarly, a weak spring may make the motor work harder or longer to accomplish the same job it has always handled. With a weak spring in place, the motor may not get a strong enough assist to pull the door up quickly. The net effect will be a slow but successful operation.
Bear in mind this sort of weak operation can harm the motor by forcing it to work harder and longer. Paying for a garage door spring replacement from a place like Plano Overhead Garage Door is likely to be cheaper than swapping out the motor. Also, you may have to still replace the spring after the motor burns out. Sooner is better in this scenario, especially if the motor still seems good.
