Are Your Garage Door Springs Working Correctly?

One of the most common problems that we see is malfunctioning garage door springs. How do you know if your door’s springs are about to be… well… sprung? Follow these four easy steps to find out:

1. Put your garage door in manual mode

Close your door and disconnect your electric opener.You’ll want to test your springs by hand, so make sure that any electric openers are turned off before going through the rest of these steps. You will want your door to be operating in manual mode to perform this test!

2. Lift the door half way up

Lift your garage door by hand until it is about half way up, and then release it.If the door lifted smoothly, and stayed in place when you released it, continue to the next step. If not, this can be a warning sign that your springs are not properly aligned, or that they are due to be replaced.

3. Fully open your garage door

Lift the door the rest of the way up (until it is fully open). If the door continued to move smoothly, and stayed in the fully open position, continue to the next step. If it did not, that is a sure sign that your springs could be in trouble, and you may want to call in a professional.

4. Lower your garage door to the halfway point

Lower the door back to the half way point and let go. If the door was still rolling smoothly, and stays in position when you let go, your springs are working and are adjusted correctly. If this didn’t happen, you will want to get those springs looked at – they could be incorrectly adjusted, or could be due to be replaced.

Following these easy steps can help you to determine if your springs are working as they should. Regularly checking the performance of your door’s springs can help you to find and diagnose any potential problems with your garage door before it becomes a big issue. Be sure to perform this test several times a year – it is a good idea to do this as the seasons change (Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter). It only takes a few minutes of your time to check how your garage door springs are currently performing, so save yourself time and hassle down the road, and call a professional if you notice your springs may be, well, sprung!