How to Repair Garage Door Torsion Spring Cable

The most important and critical component 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 correctly, the door might not open all the way or even at all. As with all mechanical and electrical gear in the home, garage doors require scheduled inspection and repair to ensure that they go on working the way they were meant to.

One of the most important and dangerous component parts on any home garage door opener are the high tension springs which need to be regularly inspected and lubricated as per the makers instructions. Unfortunately, most householders are oblivious to the fact that garage door torsion springs and other component parts of the door need occasional routine maintenance and safety checks.

If you are having any problems opening or closing your garage door, you should always pay close attention to the torsion springs which are the most obvious culprits. Depending on the age of the springs, they are liable to have worn out to a certain extent. The torsion springs used on garage doors are tightly wound and kept under very high tension. Because of this tension, even the most highest quality steel springs will eventually break. Garage door opener springs must be properly contained in order to stop them from causing serious injury to a person or property should there be a sudden breakage. That containment is either in the form of cables or in the case of roller shutter doors, an outer steel tube.

Even if the springs are contained, or if the door has been fitted for a few years, you should have them inspected by a professional garage door installer. The springs should be replaced if needed. If you have the type of garage door which has a pair of independant springs, and only one is damaged, you should still interchange both simultaneously. It stands to reason that the other spring is likely to break before you know it.

You may own a garage door which causes the springs to squeak loudly or make a chattering sound when the door is raised or brought down. Simply because it makes these noises does not mean that either the door or the springs need changing. Instead, the problem can be in all likelihood be fixed with a simple bit of lubrication of the individual moving components.

Another sign that your garage door is in need of maintenance is if there are chafed and broken strips of cable hanging loose. Irrespective of the quality of your garage door opener, this is a sign 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 chafed cables need to be inspected and probably replaced by a professional service engineer who is familiar with the problems associated with torsion springs and cables breaking.

Because of the heavy load they must lift, garage door torsion springs are kept under extreme tension making them dangerous to adjust. It is a sound advice to schedule a periodic maintenance inspection of your garage door by a registered service engineer. This will avert the risk of potential injury and also give you peace of mind that the door will work correctly each time you need to use it.