Why do garage door springs break in winter?
Springs wear out from use, but cold makes the steel more brittle, so a spring near the end of its life often snaps on the first very cold day. In Kankakee County, unheated garages get as cold as the outdoors, and a door frozen to the floor adds a sudden jolt when the opener pulls.
If you live in Bourbonnais, you may have noticed that garage door springs seem to break on the coldest mornings of the year. That is not a coincidence. Here is what is going on and what you can do about it.
How a spring wears out
The spring is what lifts the door. A torsion spring twists as the door closes and untwists as it opens. Every cycle flexes the steel. Thousands of cycles later, hairline cracks have formed and spread. A spring's design sets roughly how many cycles it can take before failing, and that limit arrives in any season.
What the cold changes
As the temperature drops, steel becomes more brittle. A crack that would hold a little longer on a mild day is more likely to give way on a frozen one. So cold does not wear the spring out, but it often picks the day the spring finally snaps. The first very cold day of an Illinois winter often brings a wave of broken springs.
Kankakee County winters
The land here is flat and open, and cold air can settle in for days at a time. Garages that are not heated get just as cold as the outdoors. A door that sits closed overnight in that cold starts its first cycle of the morning with stiff, brittle springs.
Other winter stress
Snow and slush freeze along the bottom seal, gluing the door to the floor. Breaking it loose with the motor sends a shock through springs and opener alike. Wind can also push hard on a closed door and loosen hinges, putting the door slightly out of line so it binds.
Warning signs in the fall
With the opener unhooked, the door is a struggle to raise. It sinks from mid-height. One side leads the other on the way up. The spring looks rusty or has gaps starting between coils. The opener sounds like it is working harder. If you notice any of these in the fall, have the door checked before the cold.
When it breaks
Usually there is a bang. After that the door stays down, or rises a little and halts. Stop pressing the button and keep your hands off the door. Confirm the break by looking at the coil above the header, then dial (815) 642-2423.
What it costs
This site's price table lists $180 to $320 for one torsion spring, $315 to $465 when a door carries two, and $175 to $275 for extension springs. Outside normal hours, a spring job is $260 to $480.
How to help your springs
Spray the coils with lube each spring and fall. Have the balance checked. Knock snow and ice off the bottom seal before you open up. And if the garage is your main entrance, ask about higher-cycle springs, which last longer.
See also our pages on garage door spring repair and garage door repair in Bourbonnais. You might also like Garage Door Off Track in Bourbonnais? Here's What Went Wrong.
Reference: LiftMaster's owner manuals (manufacturer / safety source).