What you need to know about garage door springs
Ever wondered how your garage door manages to heave itself up every morning and then close at the press of a button? There are many cogs in the wheel that help operate your garage door but there is one important piece that holds all the tension – literally.
Most garage doors operate with the use of torsion springs that are located either above the door for a standard lift or at the ends of the horizontal tracks for low headroom lift. But what do you do if your garage door malfunctions and you have identified that you need to replace the springs? Here are some things to consider first before repairing or replacing your springs:
What are torsion springs and what do they do?
Torsion springs are mounted on your garage door in two locations – either overhead for a standard lift or on either side of the door for high lift/low headroom lift.
Tension is created when the springs are mechanically wound up, creating and storing energy in the springs. Each time you open or close your garage door that energy is transferred from the springs and into the mechanism that connects up to the cables which allows for the door to move.
How long do they last and signs to replace?
Torsion springs typically last 10,000 to 15,000 cycles which are approximately 3 to 7 years. Here’s how to identify if your springs need replacing:
- The spring is stretched out when your door is closed, indicating that there is no longer any tension.
- If there is a 2 inch gap in the spring then this is a good indication that the spring has snapped.
- The garage door is crooked when opening and closing.
- Top section of the door is misaligned.
- Garage door closes abruptly when closing.
- Identifiable slack in the cables.
There are ways to extend the life of your springs and that’s with regular servicing and repairs, some you can do yourself. Ensure that your garage door is completely weatherproof to prevent the outside elements from creeping in, do a quick inspection if your garage door is making weird noises, and most importantly if your garage door is not opening or closing contact the professionals.
Should I be replacing them?
Replacing your torsion springs is no easy task and should never be attempted unless you are really experienced in the field. There are many things that could go wrong, the main issue being that the entire weight of the door rests on the spring mechanism.
To prevent further damage being caused or even putting yourself in harm’s way, we recommend speaking to the professionals at Gryphon Garage Doors for some advice on what to do and how much repair costs may be.
