The torsion spring plays a key role in how your garage door operates. Without it, you would find it to be incredibly difficult to open and close the door. This spring and the tension cables are what allows a garage door to move with minimal effort. However, the spring can go bad over time and cause problems with how smoothly the door moves. Here is what you should know about troubleshooting problems with the spring.
Loud Noises During Operation
Torsion springs that are loud when the garage door is being used are typically caused by not having proper lubrication. The springs will look like they are rusting or getting old if you look at them closely, and moving the springs results in that horrible screeching sound.
The best thing you can do is use apply lithium grease to the spring or apply a generous amount of spray lubricant. You'll want to apply it when the spring is both closed and fully extended, which will ensure that the entire torsion spring has been coated.
Lack of Tensions During Operation
When the door lacks any tension when operating the door, it means that the one or both springs are broken. This simply happens due to wear and tear from using the garage door every single day, or when there is a door jamb and too much tension is put on the springs.
If this happens, you'll need to have the springs professionally replaced by a local garage door repair specialist. It can be tough to make this repair safely since so much pressure needs to be put on the springs to install them correctly.
Door Slams Shut When Closing
Garage door springs can also become overextended from being used, and the door will no longer have the resistance it needs to properly support the door's weight. This can cause the door to slam shut when it is being closed, but still have some tension to hold it in an open position.
This is another situation that requires replacing the garage door spring.
Door Opens Slightly And Stops
Another issue is that the garage door may only be opening slightly when activated before stopping. This is another sign of a broken torsion spring, which is actually putting so much weight on the door that it is activating the safety features that stop the door from moving. The door thinks that something is putting pressure on the door when it's really the springs not being effective at supporting the door's weight.
Contact a company like Velting Overhead Door for more information and assistance.