FINDING THE RIGHT SPRING SYSTEM FOR YOUR GARAGE DOOR

We don’t usually give it much thought, but the truth is, your garage door plays a big role in the curb appeal of your home. An unattractive garage door, or one that is noticeably in decline, will make your property look shabby, and will actually cause your property to decrease in value. If your garage doubles as an office or workshop, you ought to pay some more attention to maintaining it. You can begin with an excellent-quality garage door that’s durable and resilient.

If you think about it, your garage door is really the largest working appliance of your household, so it’s important to keep it in tiptop shape. When you decide to purchase a whole new garage door, it’s vital to do your homework, so that you can land upon the ideal combination of price, hardiness, looks, and reasonable maintenance requirements.

Which is Superior: To Have Torsion Springs for Your Garage Door? Or a Garage Door with an Extension Spring System?

Torsion Springs

Even though they’re more expensive, most garage door technicians recommend a torsion spring garage door system, because it’s far safer, and state of the art. Torsion springs are easier to adjust, and thus easier to balance.

There are some garage doors that work well with just one torsion spring, and some other garage doors require two or more springs to operate. This depends upon the garage door’s weight. A two-spring system provides a greater-balanced lifting garage door. A lightweight, smaller door, normally on a single-car garage, normally needs one spring only.

Torsion springs use torque to open the garage door. Torsion springs twist and coil on the shaft anytime force is applied by the garage door motor or by hand. They’re available in a wide range of options, in a variety of sizes and lengths, manufactured according to the garage door’s weight, height, and track radius, plus additional specifications. In a torsion spring system, spring bars ~ also referred to as “torsion tubes” ~ are mounted on the header on the inside of the garage door opening, each with a center bracket, which holds the spring in place.

At each end of the torsion tube, there is a drum. On each side of the garage door, cables attach to the bottom bracket and then go up the height of the door, and wind around the drums while the door is opening, and unwind while the door is closing. The torsion springs provide the force that’s required to open and close the door. The cable and drums do the lifting.

A well-designed torsion spring system for your garage door will counterbalance your garage door properly, with the utmost level of equilibrium and safety. If you have a wider and/or heavier garage door, it’s best to have torsion springs. They’re placed along the wall, directly above opening for the garage door. These include a spring, shaft, and drum assembly. The torsion springs themselves are mounted on the shaft, which functions as a containment system. The majority of garage door repair experts will tell you that corrosion-resistant galvanized torsion springs are better than all the other kinds of springs, and definitely more pleasing to the eye and longer lasting than springs that are oil-tempered.

An unqualified individual should never attempt to remove or adjust the bottom bracket of the garage door, which connects the spring system to the lifting cables. This bracket is under an immense amount of pressure. If it ever gets loose, it can separate from the garage door's basic structure, and cause major property damage or serious injury. Torsion springs need to be installed by a highly qualified garage door professional.

Even standard extension springs can be a challenge to work on, so don’t try taking this task upon yourself ~ unless you truly know what you’re doing. If you do have the wherewithal, tools, and experience to install it by yourself, then proceed carefully, following the instructions in the installation manual to the letter.

Extension Springs

The advantage to extension springs is that they are reasonably priced, and accordingly, they’re the standard used for garage door spring systems. Extension springs are common, and you’ll often see them in older homes. They stretch, that is, extend, which is why they’re referred to as “extension springs.” They stretch when the garage door closes, and loosen as it opens. Your garage door’s spring system may already have extension springs ~ coiled springs installed on both sides of the garage door horizontal track ~ if you have a lighter-weight garage door. They’re mounted on each side of the garage door, attaching at one end to the track supports and at the other end to the tracks via cables.

In an extension spring system, the cables attach to the bottom bracket on the bottom panel of the garage door. Extension spring systems are a little tricky to balance, especially if you replace only one spring at a time. A series of pulleys attaches to the track and to the springs with adjustment clips to balance the garage door. There’s generally a second cable on each side, which is attached to the track. It runs through the extension spring’s center, and attaches to the track support brackets.

Extension springs, if they malfunction, can be very dangerous. One ordinary reason that garage doors with extension springs go on the fritz is that the pulleys become worn out. The ball bearings break down, causing the pulley to scrape against the track angle; or, the rivets fail, the pulley splits, and ultimately the door cable sticks. If you don’t properly maintain extension springs, they might go straight through a wall, causing severe injury, and even death. That’s why, for extraordinary quality, extension springs must include a safety containment cable system, spanning the whole length of the spring, and preventing loose ends from causing any injury or damage.

This is merely a summary. Considering your property requirements, taste, and budget, how do you decide what’s ideal for you? It’s essential to hire a local garage door repair company you know you can rely upon. If you’re in Newnan, Georgia, consider a trustworthy company such as Newnan Garage Repair, where the mobile garage door technicians on staff will provide you with a free consultation.