The springs that help your garage door open and close face constant usage and wear over the years. Knowing when it’s time for new springs can save headaches down the line and ensure safety. Here are some telltale signs it may be time for Garage Door Spring Repair in Virginia Beach.

Increased Effort to Open/Close

If you notice it takes significantly more force on the manual release system to lift or lower the door, the springs could be wearing out and losing their counterbalancing ability. This puts added stress on other door components too.

Off-Balance Feel

Ideally the door should stay balanced and close or open smoothly on its own once activated. If one side feels noticeably heavier than the other when operating the door, the springs may be pulling unevenly or one has weakened more than the other.

Frayed or Broken Cables/Springs

Inspect the condition of the wound torsion springs within the shaft and any pulley cables running from them to the door. Rust spots, broken coils, frayed cables or cables detaching from anchors need attention as they can fail without warning.

Noisy Operation

Worn or loose springs typically cause creaking, squeaking or grinding sounds during operation that weren’t there previously. This indicates they may not have the torque needed to smoothly bear the weight.

Problems Closing Fully

If the door increasingly fails to latch securely in the fully closed position, springs may be losing the power to properly balance the door against the ground. This puts security at risk.

Safety Warning Signs

Springs under excessive tension can let loose suddenly. Be alert for broken, missing or disconnected cables and damaged tracks from improper counterbalance. In these cases, don’t operate the door until springs are inspected properly.

It’s always wise to have springs assessed by a qualified professional after 5-7 years of use even if issues haven’t appeared. Replacing them before actual failure prevents costly accidents, damage to other components and safety risks down the line. Neglecting signs of wear shortens the lifespan of your entire garage door system.

With some proactive maintenance and spring replacements when recommended, you can preserve safer functioning for years from a key part of your garage door system. Make sure to opt for quality parts installed correctly for optimal garage door usage.