Most of us believe that garage doors are simple from start to finish. After all, how difficult is it to have a door that you can roll up? It seems simple, but in fact, it definitely is not. Garage doors work with a perfect combination of elements, including springs and rollers, that allow the heavy door to lift smoothly. And if your garage door stops working, you may suddenly wonder how you are going to get your door working again, or if you will have to buy a completely new door. Very often, buying a new garage door can be avoided by changing a few things, and one of those things is the springs.
Garage doors have two different types of springs. One is known as torsion springs and the other is known as extension springs. Both springs are used to counteract the weight of the garage door, allowing you to easily lift something that should be too heavy for the average person to lift. How can you tell what kind of spring you have? Look directly over the garage door. If you have a spring that stretches and contracts when the door opens and closes, and is mounted on the horizontal tracts, you have an extension spring. However, if you have a spring that is mounted to the bar directly above the door and that rolls and unrolls when the garage door opens and closes, you have a torsion spring.
If you need to change your garage door torsion springs, you must first know how to find the right one. Unfortunately, not all torsion springs are created equal, and buying the wrong one will cause you nothing but pain. There are four dimensions that determine how much the spring can lift. The first is the length of the torsion spring. This can be easily measured. Next is the inside diameter. This can also be measured quite easily with your tape measure. Next is the size of the wire, which needs to be measured, and finally what is known as the wind.
All of this can be very confusing, which is why many people choose to purchase the same type of torsion spring that came with their garage door. You can find the type of torsion spring your door uses quite easily online, using a search engine, or a site that specializes in selling torsion springs.
Replacing any type of spring in a garage door can be a dangerous proposition, since the springs are under tension. If you don’t use the correct tools and are not careful, injuries can occur. Before changing springs on your own, make sure you have read how to do it and that you are using the proper tools in a very safe manner. Changing torsion springs can be tricky, so it’s always a good idea to call a qualified professional garage door service company.