When one of my children was playing with our garage doors a few years ago, we heard a piercing scream that we will never forget. She had gotten her fingers pinched in the side of the door, and we knew that we had to help her--and fast. Because of our quick actions and first aid, we were able to take care of the problem. After we returned home, I started thinking about ways to keep our kids safe around garage doors. This blog contains loads of helpful information about maintaining your garage doors, looking after your curious children, and preventing serious injury.
If you have an automatic garage door opener and notice a long spring attached to the bar on the top of the door, then you have an opener that uses a torsion spring. Torsion springs are tightly wound springs that open up or unwind when you activate the door. As they unwind, the springs twist the metal rod that runs through the door and it is pulled open. Since torsion springs actively move as you open your garage door, they will retain a great deal of wear and tear. Replacements are needed on occasion. Here are some signs that the springs need to be replaced by a professional so you can call a garage door expert to your home to complete the replacement.
You Notice Open Coils
Torsion springs, as well as other types of springs, hold energy and then exert that energy when it is needed. In the case of torsion springs, they will remain under pressure and tension until your garage door is activated. Activation will cause an energy release and the energy is retained in the spring coils. Over time, the coils will start to unravel or pull apart due to the stress.
When the torsion spring coils pull apart, they will no longer hold as much energy. The springs are at risk of completely breaking and unraveling and releasing all of their stored energy in the process. This can be dangerous, so make sure that you inspect springs carefully to see if they are coming apart. If you notice spaces in between the coils, contact a garage door expert as soon as possible to replace the spring.
Your Garage Door Does Not Open All The Way
If torsion springs wear down and do not hold as much energy as they once did, then they will not be able to force the garage door open. You may notice that your garage door opens more slowly or completely stalls when it is open only about half way. If the door only opens partially, then the torsion springs have released or exerted all of their energy without forcing the door all the way up. However, there is a chance that the garage door is stuck on an obstruction along the track or the tracks have bent or warped. Also, issues with the garage door chains or cables can cause a similar issue.
To see if the torsion springs are the issue, release the garage door from the opener mechanism with the help of the emergency release. This release will be located on the garage door opener. Once the door is disconnected from the opener, gently force the door upward. If the door opens with little effort, then it is likely that the torsion spring is bad.
For assistance, talk to a professional like AAA Garage Door, Inc.
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27 October 2016
