Do you know which garage door spring is right for you? Don’t hurry to answer. Think of how much you know about springs. Think of whether or not you know how much your garage door weighs. Consider if you have replaced the door but not the spring. And finally think of how often you open and close the door. All the above matters when you are trying to decide about springs.
And then here you come wondering why it is so important to make such complicated thoughts just to replace the torsion or extension springs! But the answer to that is very easy. Without the right spring system, the door won’t perform right.
Consider for a moment what springs do: they open the door, keep it open at any desired height, and then bring it down. They provide the power with which such a heavy door can be controlled and remain in its opening position without sliding down.
Now go back to consider the following: what if the spring lacks the required power to keep the overhead door open? What if it is too short for a high lift commercial system? If you select the wrong spring, it will break fast and won’t allow the door to move as it should. So it’s really important to make the right choice.
Which garage door spring systems are available?
There are actually two main spring types. But there are variations among torsion springs. And there are differences among extension springs too. The differences among springs under the same category lie on their lifespan, brand, coil particularities, size, and door type. So if you have a standard size residential sectional door, you might either get a regular torsion spring or a pair of extension springs. But if you have a one-piece door, you will need a different kind of spring. Rolling doors have their own special spring system which hides inside the barrel. And then there are differences depending on application. It’s one thing getting a torsion spring for your home overhead door and it’s another thing getting a spring for your business facility.
Things to remember before garage door spring replacement
- The available space in the garage is also important. There must be space over the opening for torsion spring installation and enough sideroom for the installation of extension springs. So if there is a limited headroom, the cable drum will be found outside of the end plate and the torsion spring will wind down instead of upwards. So the spring must be installed correctly depending on the system.
- Are you looking for commercial torsion springs? Make sure you get the right one depending on whether you have a standard, full vertical, or high lift system.
- One or two torsion springs? The wider and heavier the door the higher the need for two torsion springs. But you can go ahead and add one more spring to prevent door damage or even collapsing should the one-spring system breaks.
- Galvanized springs are good in moisture areas. But there is a higher garage door spring repair need. And that’s because such springs are weaker than their oil tempered counterparts. So you will need torsion spring adjustment more often and that’s not good. The more you adjust the spring the sooner it will wear.
One last advice: It’s vital to remember that garage door spring replacement is difficult. Spring removal and installation, winding the torsion spring, and adjusting the extension springs are hard tasks and entail dangers. Your safety will be questioned during the job but also afterwards if the springs are not installed properly. So it’s always best to leave spring replacement to the pros.
