The springs on your garage door are a vital part of the entire door operating system. Problems with the spring can prevent the door from functioning properly.

What Are Garage Door Springs?

The tension on a garage door that enables it to open and close smoothly, as well as stay in place once opened, is controlled in large part by springs. Most doors have springs on either side of the center of the door that connect the top of the door to the track rails on either side. Some models may have another torsion spring in the center of the door that attaches it to an automatic garage door opener, but not all openers use a torsion spring system, so don't be alarmed if your door doesn't have one.

How Do You Know if They Break?

Springs are tightly coiled, resembling a solid tubular object. When a spring breaks, it will be in pieces instead of one solid part. Depending on the style of spring and the type of breakage, it may come loose completely and dangle down or even be flung across the room. If you are nearby when a spring breaks, you will likely hear it snap, as well. The door will also be jerky when you try to operate it, and it may not stay open on its own.

Are Breaking Springs Dangerous?

Springs are under a lot of tension, so it is not uncommon for one to fly with some force if it breaks and becomes unanchored from the garage door at the same time. This release can cause injury to anyone nearby or even damage items stored inside the garage. For this reason, it makes sense to visually inspect your springs every few weeks. If they begin to look stretched out or if the metal has stress marks, call for a repair service right away. They can tend to the springs before a dangerous and damaging break occurs.

Can You Fix Springs Yourself?

It's not recommended to attempt to fix or replace a garage spring on your own. Remember, the springs are installed under high tension. Making a single mistake when unhooking the old spring or hooking up the new one can release this tension and send the spring flying, often creating disastrous effects. For this reason, it's best to always leave spring repair to the pros. 

Contact a residential garage door repair service if you have a broken spring or suspect that one will break soon.