2 Signs One Of Your Garage Door's Springs Is Broken

Lately, whenever you try to use your garage door, you may have noticed that it has difficulty opening and closing smoothly. If the door itself is in good shape, there is a strong possibility that one of the torsion springs that holds and moves the door is broken. If you suspect that a broken spring could be causing the issues with your garage, look for the signs discussed below.

1.  Door Jerks to One Side When It Opens or Closes

One sign that a broken spring is causing the issue with your garage door is when you start noticing that the door tends to jerk to the same side as it opens or closes. Normally, when both springs on either side of the door are intact, the sides of the door will move simultaneously and evenly.

However, if one of the springs has a break in it, even if it is not completely broken, the torsion on the spring will become weakened. Because of this, the affected spring will not be able to handle the weight of the door, leaving the unaffected spring to bear most or all of it. 

When this happens, the side with the broken spring will drop below the other side, causing the weight of the door to slide toward it. This will then make the door jerk to that side as it moves.

2.  Door Feels Heavier on One Side When You Attempt to Lift It Open

Another sign that one of the springs holding up your garage door is broken is when the affected side feels heavier than the other when you attempt to open it. This heaviness is because the weight is no longer supported on the broken side.

You can test the weight of the door by releasing the safety latch while it is completely closed. Then, try to lift each side, one at a time, to see if there is a weight difference. 

If you notice one or both of the above signs while opening or closing your garage door, one of the springs most likely has a break in it. Eventually, the extra strain placed on the other spring will cause it to break as well. However, you should not attempt to change the spring yourself since special tools are needed for the job. Instead, contact a repair service to discuss your options for having them do the job for you. For more information about residential garage door repair, contact a local service.