Not sure what kind of spring your garage door has? If it's a single spring that stretches from the door to the opener, then it has a torsion spring. This type of spring is wound tightly and will activate your garage door by unwinding and tightening. As a torsion spring unwinds, it twists the rod running through your garage door to pull it open.
Since this type of garage door spring moves when operating the door, a lot of wear is put onto the spring with each use. That is why it is important to identify a broken torsion spring so that you can fix it.
Open Coils Within The Torsion Spring
A spring is designed to store energy that is exerted when needed. For a torsion spring, they are under pressure until you go to use your home's garage door. Energy releases and the coil unwinds. Over the years, it is possible for the coil to pull apart or unravel because of the stress that it is constantly under.
A torsion spring that has been pulled apart is unable to hold the energy that it once did. The spring is even capable of breaking completely, which can be quite dangerous. The coil will unravel quire forcefully as the energy is released, which can be harmful to you if you are around the spring at the time.
This is why you'll need to inspect the torsion spring for unraveled coils and replace the part at the first sign of damage.
Garage Door That Won't Completely Open
Once the torsion spring uses its energy, it will have problems operating your home's garage door. This can result in a garage door that opens very slowly, or the door stalls in the middle of its operation. A door that stops opening all the way means that the spring has used all its energy to open the door, and there is no energy left in the spring to open the door further.
Keep in mind that you cannot place all the blame on the torsion spring for a door that partially opens. There could be track obstructions, bent tracks, or broken chains that case an issue very similar to a damaged torsion spring.
When you're not sure why your garage door isn't working, it is best to have it looked at by a professional. If it is the spring that needs replacement, a garage door spring repair technician can even take care of that at the same time.
Do you remember the last time you really evaluated the structural integrity and security of your home? Although many people assume that their home is plenty safe, the fact of the matter is that creating a safe environment is about more than security systems and guard dogs. Since your garage door is a main entrance point into your home, it is important to think carefully about what you can do to make things right. On my blog, I discuss all of the different aspects of garage door maintenance and replacement, so that you can explore different ways to make your home even more beautiful.