Most homeowners use their garage as the main entrance of their home. This means the door sees a lot of use and abuse, opening and closing anytime you leave the house for work, errands, or fun. Over time, the mechanisms that help move your door can wear down or break and, for most homeowners, the most common problem is the garage door springs.

When these springs snap, you won’t be able to use your automatic opener. Fortunately, the team at Great Garage Door Co. in Maplewood, MN, wants to help you understand how garage door springs break and what you need to do to get them repaired.

Why Springs Break

The average door weighs between 200 and 300 pounds. This weight is supported by springs, which help reduce the strain on the automatic door opener as the garage opens or closes. Over time, the springs stretch out, losing their elasticity. When the springs wear down, they can break, leaving you with a door that has to be opened manually.

How to Tell If It’s a Broken Spring

A broken garage door can be caused by many issues, but broken springs are often easy to spot. Inspect each spring and look for signs of stretching. In some cases, you may notice that the spring has snapped completely in two. If you don’t see any clear signs of damage, try using your automatic door opener. Broken springs can cause your door to open or close unevenly or not open at all. If anything seems off, call a garage door repair expert.

Let the Pros Handle Replacement

Garage door springs are inherently dangerous to install. Each spring is under high amounts of tension, and unless you’re familiar with the installation process, you may injure yourself trying to install a replacement. Instead, let an expert handle the installation. They’ll be able to get your garage door up and running again quickly.

Don’t let broken garage door springs keep you from using your garage — call the repair experts at Great Garage Door Co. today. Their team will help you with all of your repair needs, from spring replacements to seasonal tuneups. Visit their website for more information, and call (651) 486-0000 to make an appointment today.