The most important and critical part on any garage door are the torsion springs which allow the door to open and close easily and smoothly. If one or both of the springs are not working properly, the door might not open all the way or even at all. Garage doors, like other mechanical and electric gear around the home, require routine maintenance in order to remain in top notch condition.

In order to keep your home garage door opener in peak condition, you need to attend to lubricating and checking on the spring system, which is one of the most critical parts for safe and proper functioning of the door. However, most householders are totally unaware of the fact that garage door torsion springs and cables need routine safety and maintenance checks every so often.

If you are experiencing any trouble opening or shutting your garage door, you should always pay close attention to the torsion springs which are the most obvious perpetrators. Depending on the age of the springs, they are likely to have worn out to a certain degree. The torsion springs used on garage doors are tightly wound and kept under extreme tension. Because of this tautness, even the best quality steel springs will eventually snap. Garage door opener springs have to be correctly contained in order to prevent them from causing serious harm to a person or property in the event of sudden breakage. That containment is either in the form of cables or in the case of roller shutter doors, an external steel tube.

Even if they are contained and you have an older garage door, it is advisable to have them inspected regularly by a professional installer. If necessary, the springs should be replaced. If you have the type of garage door that has a pair of separate springs, and just one is broken, it makes sense to replace both at the same time. You can bet your bottom dollar that if one spring has broken, the other will not be far behind it.

A definite sign that your garage door is in need of a spot of maintenance is when the springs either begin screeching or chattering loudly when raising or lowering the door. This does not necessarily mean that the springs are about to give up the ghost or the door is on its last legs and needs replacing. The problem can likely be fixed by spraying on some lubricant, like WD-40, or something similar.

Another sign that your garage door is in need of maintenance is if there are frayed and worn strips of cable dangling loose. Irrespective of the quality of your garage door opener, this is a indication that the cables are about to give way. A sudden break in the garage door cables could result in serious injury to anybody standing close by. These frayed cables need to be inspected and probably replaced by a professional repairman who is familiar with the problems associated with springs and cables breaking.

Due to the weight they have to lift, garage door torsion springs are retained under extreme tension making them dangerous to adjust. It is advisable to have a professional garage door engineer inspect these critical components of your home each year to avert potential injury and problems caused by defective springs.

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