Garage door springs aren't meant to last forever. The average set offers a lifespan of around 10,000 cycles or 7 years of ordinary usage. This figure varies depending on how often you use your garage door. If you're like most homeowners, however, chances are you're not keeping track of the number of cycles your springs have gone through or how many years it's been since you've last replaced your garage door springs.

Fortunately, there are a few ways you can tell if your garage door springs are in need of a replacement.

1. Excessive Noise

Popping, creaking and other strange noises are usually signs that your garage door springs could use some lubricating. However, those noises can also signal the end for your springs. The real tell is if those noises subside after lubricating the garage door springs properly, only for those noises to return after a short period of time. If proper lubrication fails to silence the cacophony, then it's time to have your garage door springs professionally replaced.

2. Visible Rust

From the moment your springs are installed, they're at the mercy of rust and the effects it has on metal. Once rust sets in, the corrosion process slowly but surely eats away at the metal, compromising the spring's structural integrity and tensile strength. Allowing rust to take hold on your garage door springs can knock years off of their lifespan while making the springs more likely to snap without warning.

3. Uneven Door Opening

If one garage door spring fails before the other does, it can cause your garage door to open in a lopsided fashion. Uneven doors can get stuck in place or even fall off their tracks. When one spring fails, the other may also fail shortly.

4. Weak Spring Strength

Being stretched and compressed thousands of times inevitably adds wear and tear on garage door springs. Eventually, the springs will lose most of their tensile strength and with it the ability to hold your garage door open. However, this problem is usually masked by the garage door opener doing all of the work, so you'll need to disconnect the opener via the emergency release and open the door manually to check the springs' strength.

After disconnecting the garage door opener, lift the door open to waist height and let it go. If it stays in place, your springs still have plenty of life left in them. If the door falls as soon as you release it, then your springs are no good and in need of changing.

Contact a service, like Eudy Door Co., for more help.