If your garage door appears to be uneven, it may be because its springs need to be adjusted. If left unattended, this problem can end up damaging other parts of the system, like the tracks for example. An unbalanced door can be caused by various factors and may be a sign that other parts are having some problems.
A Few Common Causes
The most common reason why your garage door is unbalanced is a problem with the springs and/or the cables. Each one of these components has a limited useful life expectancy. This means that there is a certain amount of time that they will perform their job properly (usually with some regular maintenance involved), and when that time runs out, they will need to be replaced or repaired. Our technicians can provide you with routine service appointments, during which we'll lubricate the springs and adjust their tension, which will substantially increase their longevity. This will help keep the door from becoming unbalanced. Now as for the cables, they may wear out and become frayed, but they can also get loose. This can cause them to get spun up around other parts of your door, which will greatly hinder its performance. If you discover that a cable got off the drum, or a spring broke, you need to contact our technicians right away. These components can be extremely dangerous to handle.
How Long Will My Spring Last?
For example, a torsion spring has an average life expectancy of approximately 5 years or roughly around 7,500 cycles. One cycle represents one single opening and closing of the door. Once the spring has reached this number, it will most likely start to lose its tension. This means that it won't be able to support the weight of the door as well as it used to. The more you use weakened spring, the more your door will begin to shift and become unbalanced. This is one of the main reasons it is important to have regular maintenance performed on your garage door.
Tell Tale Signs
There are several things that can clue you into the fact that your door is unbalanced. If you have an electric garage door opener, it won't be able to move your door as well as it used to. If the panels slowly lower back to the ground while the door is open, that is another indication that something is likely wrong with the tension of the springs. Don't hesitate to reach out to our technicians at Garage Door Repair Phoenix as soon as you suspect there's a problem with any part of your door.