A garage door that will not open can be extremely frustrating. You may be stuck at home and unable to leave because your car is trapped inside. This was the case for one of our clients in Gretna, NE. They were opening their garage door when they heard a loud noise. Then, the door stopped and crashed to the ground, trapping their car inside. The client searched for a solution online and immediately called Omaha Garage Door Repair. They said one torsion spring broke, and the other was in poor shape. We arrived at the client's home on the same day, ready for the garage door spring replacement job. After replacing both springs with longer-lasting ones, the garage door was back in working order in under an hour. The client thanked us for our quick response, and were also very pleased with the results of the services performed.
Overhead garage doors that use torsion springs are becoming increasingly popular. Unfortunately, torsion springs have a limited number of cycles before they need to be replaced. As the spring approaches the end of its cycle life, it will become less effective. Below, you may find details on your garage door's torsion spring cycle life.
A garage door torsion spring typically lasts 10,000 cycles. It means it should handle approximately 10,000 times being wound and unwound. However, many factors, such as corrosion and misuse, can cause springs to wear out faster than their intended lifespan.
Cheap springs may have a good cycle life rating, but they can still fail because they are made of inferior materials. Conversely, you can find springs with ten times the cycle life of a standard spring. The quality of the spring is what matters most.
Many factors influence the lifespan of a torsion spring. These include the garage door spring manufacturing environment, storage, and handling. Furthermore, the quality of its installation also plays a crucial role. Therefore, you need to hire a qualified garage door contractor with the expertise and experience to complete the job properly. It is essential since poor installation can easily result in premature failure.
Installing the spring backward is a mistake that can shorten the life expectancy of your torsion spring. Unfortunately, this can also cause the door to not open properly and jam up, or slam to the ground and possibly cause injuries.
The way you use your garage door can impact the lifespan of your springs. Using your door improperly can shorten the springs' life cycle. Improper use include:
The garage door spring's cycle life will be cut short if you misuse or neglect your garage door.
No matter how well-made your garage door is, sooner or later, one of its springs is bound to break. That will prevent the door from working and put it at risk of sudden collapse and serious injury. Therefore, it is important to know the cycle life of your springs and have them replaced before they break to avoid these dangers.
Garage door repair is dangerous for non-professionals. These springs are under immense tension and require special tools and expertise to manipulate safely. Attempting to do so without proper knowledge or equipment can result in serious injury. If this happens, call Omaha Garage Door Repair immediately for free estimates on all of our professional garage door services, and leave the trouble to us.