Why Garage Door Springs Require Regular Maintenance

Your garage door is one of the most frequently used parts of your home. That’s why it is essential to regularly maintain its moving parts such as the garage door springs and rollers. 

The garage door has aesthetic value, but remember that it acts as a security door as well. This is because most homeowners use their garage door as a second entrance to their home, so it must remain secure.

For your garage door to remain in proper working order, regular garage door maintenance is required, just like you would with your vehicle. Remember that because the garage door uses metal parts, they require lubrication and not once, but regularly year-round.

Lubrication will add years of serviceable life to the garage door unit and can resolve an irritating squeaking noise when it opens and closes. However, don’t use the WD-40 kind — instead, use an industrial, non-silicone lubricant. That’s because WD-40 acts more like a cleaning solution than a lubricant because of its ingredients. 

You should also avoid using grease for use on moving garage door parts. It gets sticky, like glue sometimes, and attracts debris that can damage garage door springs and rollers.

The springs responsible for lifting and lowering your door are the torsion springs and should be on your list of parts to lubricate listed in your garage door maintenance. As with other mechanical components, lubricating allows the garage door springs to operate more efficiently and significantly increases its service life.

Also, as much as you may think it’s required, don’t lube the bearings or garage door tracks. Cleaning them is far more beneficial than lubing them.

Types of Garage Door Springs

1. Torsion Springs

Torsion springs are the most common type of garage door springs, and their popularity continues to grow. They differ from extension springs because they don’t extend when the door operates. Torsion springs also turn, so they’re more versatile and last longer. Typically, torsion springs last up to 20,000 cycles of opening and closing.

2. Extension Springs

Extension springs will extend and expand, then contract every time the door opens and closes. Extension springs can last up to 10,000 open and close cycles.

On average, the garage door cycles through normal open and close operations about four times per day. That being said, it works out to around a 13-15-year service life for torsion springs and approximately seven years for extension springs. 

Many factors enter into the equation, such as garage door maintenance that, depending on the quality, the service life could change dramatically. 

Garage Door Spring Maintenance Tips

One of the most critical parts that make up a garage door is the garage door springs.

However, there are no shortcuts to conducting proper maintenance. That’s because using the wrong lubricant will shave years off the lifespan of your garage door, and not paying attention to the areas that need frequent lubrication will have the same result. 

Many homeowners don’t understand garage door maintenance is essential until it’s too late. In fact, lack of care leads to a garage door that won’t open, becomes noisy, and can be potentially dangerous — especially if it’s used as a second entrance. Ensure you cut power to the garage door unit so it can’t be activated by mistake before starting to work on the garage door. 

It’s best to leave springs alone and call a professional garage door repair technician regarding torsion spring repair. The springs are under extreme pressure, and the technician knows how to repair them safely.

Keep in mind, the first step of garage door maintenance is a visual check of the entire unit. Look for rusty or broken parts, especially springs, tracks, fasteners, cables, and wheels. 

Check the nylon rollers for deterioration that naturally occurs over time. They tend to crack, and chip so ensure you check these moving parts often. A quick check of your steel rollers for uneven tracking is a sign of excessive wear in the bearings or the roller body. The bearings are common types usually and are readily available from most hardware stores.

Remember that your door’s normal movement will cause all of the moving parts to loosen somewhat, so it’s a good idea to inspect them monthly.

Two times a year, take the time to clean and lube overhead garage door torsion springs and extension springs. Don’t worry about excess lube because it will help prevent corrosion down the road. 

If your garage door and its springs require repair or replacement, don’t hesitate to call Dodds for 24/7 garage door repair service. Our friendly and professional garage door technicians have the know-how to get your door back in working condition. 

Call us today at 1-877-503-6337 to schedule an at-home assessment.