what you need to know when buying a garage door

4 Reasons Garage Door Springs Need to Be Replaced

Over time, the springs that hold a garage door in place while it opens and closes will become worn. At this point, it's important to replace the springs, which can be costly, but the need for replacement can often be prevented if you know some of the reasons garage door springs need to be replaced in the first place. Here are four main reasons garage door springs become heavily worn:

1. Excessive Use: If you are using the garage door excessively, which means that you are opening and closing the door throughout the day, then the garage door springs are not going to last as long. In order to avoid having to replace the garage door springs every year because of this, you will want to consider installing extended-life garage door springs, which last much longer than standard springs do. You will pay more, but you can go more than twice as long before needing to replace them.
2. Rust: Rusting happens when the garage door springs are not properly lubricated. When the springs begin to rust, they begin to fail at opening and closing the garage door as they should. It's important that you are lubricating the springs every few months in order to prevent this. Lubrication will keep the opening and closing features of the garage door smooth as well, and that is safer for you. 
3. Cold Weather:  When cold weather begins to set in, the garage door springs can become stiff, making it more difficult to open and close the garage door. Although cold weather isn't something that is easily preventable, it's important that you ensure your garage is as insulated as possible. This means checking the weather stripping at the bottom of the garage door and replacing it if you notice wear and tear. The more insulated your garage, the warmer the springs are going to stay, and warmth makes the springs less likely to stiffen up. 
4. Lack of Repairs: It's important to test the springs every once in a while to ensure that they are not beginning to wear. Once the garage door springs begin to wear, they will continue to fail at a higher rate, which will lead to your having to replace them sooner. To test the springs, you will want to pull on the emergency red handle and open the garage halfway manually. Springs that are not worn will keep the garage door held in place. If they are starting to wear, the garage door will tilt or fall. At this point, you should bring a professional in for repairs in order to avoid possible replacement. 

When you know these four reasons garage door springs need to be replaced, you can be sure that you are doing what you need to in order to fend off this expensive part of garage-door maintenance for as long as possible. For maintenance help, consult companies such as Raynor Door Company.