It had been two years since Allie, a teacher and writer, and her husband purchased their dream home. However, their home had its share of issues, particularly the day their garage door spring broke, leaving them trapped inside the garage.
It was as quick as it was unexpected, Allie wrote. A Sunday of relaxation changed dramatically when the crack of the garage door spring echoed through the home. The garage door, which allowed their vehicles to enter and exit, lifted only a foot off the ground before crashing back down.
It is true that springs will break over time, primarily due to normal wear and tear, but sometimes due to flaws in the spring or factors affecting its integrity, such as corrosion or rust. Regardless of the reason, the heavy garage door was not going to open.
Allie and her husband didn’t expect the spring to break, as they had used a home inspector to evaluate the property before purchasing it. They assumed that any issues with the garage door would have been noted at that time.
What happened, however, was not only unexpected but also prevented the garage door from opening while their cars were parked inside, ruining the couple’s plans to watch football with friends. As Allie’s husband left to meet his friends, it was up to her to fix the garage door and find a garage door repair company to replace the broken spring.
After a quick online search and multiple unanswered calls, Allie found a local garage door company near her location willing to provide service on a Sunday. The technician requested a picture of the broken spring, explaining that it would speed up the repair time by ensuring he brought the correct spring and parts with him.
According to Allie, this proved to be quite a challenge, as she had to squeeze between the cars with a step stool and reach well above her height. By bracing the step stool between the vehicles, she managed to snap a photo of the torsion spring and send it to the technician.
Unfortunately, the technician then asked to see the numbers on the spring, which presented an even greater challenge due to their location. After several failed attempts, Allie finally managed to grab the broken spring, reveal the numbers, and take a clear picture.
The technician identified it immediately and said he would arrive in half an hour with the right springs to perform the repair. Although it was quite a task to wait, the service technician ultimately replaced the broken spring and repaired the door.
There are several lessons to be learned from this experience. The first is to avoid assuming that home inspectors are properly equipped to identify garage door springs that are about to break.
Can Home Inspectors Even Inspect Garage Door Springs?
To be fair, the garage door springs may have been in perfect condition during the inspection. While most home inspectors are trained to perform their work thoroughly, spotting issues with a garage door—especially in the early stages might be beyond their knowledge or capabilities.
Although most inspectors can detect obvious issues, such as broken garage door springs issues, they are generally not trained to identify springs that are wearing out or parts that may be on the verge of breaking.
How Home Inspectors Inspect Garage Doors
Home inspectors test an overhead garage door by pulling it up and down the tracks to gauge its smooth operation. They might inspect the opener safety sensors, assess the overall balance of the garage door, and quickly examine the tracks and associated parts to see if anything is out of place.
This is about the extent of their garage door inspection. Without a thorough evaluation by a licensed garage door repair specialist, issues that may initially seem minor could go unnoticed until they escalate into significant problems.
Signs the Springs Are About to Break
Although some garage door springs can snap without warning, there are often warning signs indicating that the springs are wearing out. It’s important to remember that the springs enable the door to move up and down with minimal assistance by counterbalancing its weight. This means that the condition of the springs is directly linked to the normal operation of the door itself.
Here are some symptoms that may indicate the need for garage door spring replacement:
- Unusual vibrations or binding
- Excessive rust buildup on the spring coils
- Balance problems and off-track breakdowns
- Excessive force error codes
- Irregular noises coming from the springs
- Slack in the door cables
- Garage door is acting up for no apparent reason
When these early signs begin to appear, you may want to consult a licensed garage door repair technician.
What to Do If Your Garage Door Spring Suddenly Breaks
Recommendations from friends and family are always a good place to start, but you can also use online sources to find and hire a local garage door repair company near you.
Begin by searching for “garage door repair near me.” Ensure you contact only licensed contractors, focusing on legitimate companies that offer emergency same-day services and provide upfront estimates for their repair and installation services. Once you’ve narrowed down your list, call them to discuss the services they provide before making your final decision.
A little extra effort on your part will help you avoid fraud, fake garage door companies, and bait-and-switch tactics, and will likely result in a quick and proper replacement of the broken spring.
