4 Things to Know About Garage Door Springs

June 24th, 2019 Posted in Garage Door Springs
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The spring on your garage door is what allows you to open and close this large door with ease. Garage doors weigh hundreds of pounds and without a spring to mitigate this heavy weight, it would take some strength to pull it up and keep gravity from slamming it shut. Heavy-duty springs are the workhorse of a garage door system – knowing the basics about these springs can help you maintain your garage door and opening system. Here are four things you should know about your garage door spring.

  1. Torsion and extension springs. Garage doors either have torsion or extension springs. Most garage doors with an opening system have torsion springs that wind and recoil to release energy to move the door.
  2. Torsion springs wear out. The continuous winding of the torsion spring wears out the material over time. Eventually, the spring will break, often without warning. When this happens, the garage door will no longer be easy to open.
  3. Cycles for springs. You can gauge how soon a spring will wear out on the number of cycles (opening and closing). Most torsion springs will last about 20,000 cycles, so the more times per day you use it, the quicker it will need replacement.
  4. Replacement. You can wait until a spring breaks to replace it, but then you may be stuck until it can be replaced. Proactive replacement is best, but never attempt to do this yourself as it can be dangerous. Leave spring replacements to a garage door professional.

Garage door springs make life easier and require little maintenance to work day in and day out. Just perform annual service on your opening system and keep the system lubricated to reduce stress on your spring to make it last longer.

Posted on behalf of: 
Habpro Garage Doors
Dacula, GA 30019
770-985-3355

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What Is the Lifespan of a Torsion Spring?

December 2nd, 2017 Posted in Garage Door Torsion Springs
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Have you ever had a spring break on your garage door? It can happen at any time – while you are leaving for work or even in the middle of the night. Once the spring breaks, you may not be able to open your garage door, trapping your vehicles inside or out. If you have a torsion spring on your garage door, it is best to replace it before it breaks unexpectedly. So, how long is the lifespan of a torsion spring and when should you replace it?

Torsion springs are common in garage door opening systems. Without a working spring, the opener cannot do its job. Since torsion springs are extended when the door is closed, it is more likely to break when the door is shut. When it snaps, a loud cracking sound will occur, and your garage door will not open. The spring is used to easily move a door that weighs hundreds of pounds. Without it, the door is not mobile, and the spring will need to be replaced.

The lifespan of a torsion spring all depends on the amount of cycles it is rated to complete and how often it is used. The average cycle rate is about 10,000 cycles, but some higher quality garage door springs can be rated for two to three times that amount. If you open and close your door twice a day, an average spring can last about 10-15 years. The more often you use your garage door, the shorter the lifespan will be.

It is important to note the rating of cycles for your torsion spring and when it is installed. You can average the frequency of use to come up with a close estimate of when it should be replaced. When it is nearing its expected cycle amount, call your local garage door service to proactively replace your spring to avoid a breakdown of your garage door opening system.

Posted on behalf of:
Habpro
The Garage Door Specialists
Snellville, GA 30039
(770) 985-3355

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Serious Signs That Your Garage Door Needs Service

December 6th, 2013 Posted in Garage Door Springs
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Your garage door is a rather complicated system made up of several components and moving parts.

While you do not need to become a garage door expert, it’s a good idea that you become familiar with the most common signs that your garage door seriously requires repair.

Is Your Garage Door Uneven?

A garage door that is an uneven or lopsided while descending or ascending is definitely in need of repair. The possible causes range from broken or frayed springs to a seriously worn torsion spring. Severe injury can result from improperly repairing or replacing torsion springs. It is highly recommended to allow a trained garage door technician to service your garage door, especially garage door spring repairs

Does Your Garage Door Make Strange or Loud Noises?

Strange, loud noises are one of the first signs that there is something wrong or broken with your garage door. Pinpointing the origin of your garage door’s noise can be a challenge. A trained technician can inspect your door, locate the noise, and repair the problem.

Will Your Garage Door Just Not Open?

Your garage door’s failure to open can be the result of various problems. However, here are a couple of basic factors for you to consider, if your garage door won’t open. Ask yourself the following two questions:

  1. Is your garage door uneven in the track?
  2. Did you hear any strange or unusual noises coming from your garage door before it malfunctioned?

If your answer to either of the above two questions is “yes,” then it is recommended for you to call a professional to repair your garage door.

Posted on behalf of Legacy Garage Doors

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Hire a Professional For Garage Door Spring Repairs

September 17th, 2012 Posted in Garage Door Springs
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Garage door springs are a very important component of your garage door.  Without the springs, the garage door would be difficult or impossible to open.  In addition, garage door springs must be properly adjusted for the door to operate smoothly and safely.  A garage door either has torsion springs mounted over the opening parallel with the door or extension springs mounted along the horizontal door tracks.

These springs are made of steel and are designed to last for thousands of opening and closing cycles, but over time the springs fatigue and need to be adjusted.  Eventually, garage door springs will break and need to be replaced.

If your garage door springs need to be adjusted or if you need to replace a broken garage door spring, this is one time that you should call a reputable garage door contractor instead of trying to do it yourself.  The main reason is that garage door springs can be very dangerous if handled improperly.  The springs are under tremendous pressure and can cause a serious injury or even death if pressure is suddenly released.

In addition, garage door springs may all look alike, but there are many different sizes and lengths.  The springs must be matched to your garage door in order to work properly.   Finally, proper adjustment is critical for your garage door to operate properly and safely.  Improperly adjusted garage door springs can put an unnecessary strain on the automatic opener causing it to wear out quickly.  More importantly, an improperly adjusted garage door can be a safety hazard, especially for pets and children.  An experienced garage door technician can replace or adjust your garage door springs.

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Garage Door Replacement Torsion Springs (Truth & Lies)

April 27th, 2012 Posted in Garage Door Contractors, Garage Door Spring Replacement, Garage Door Springs, Garage Door Torsion Springs
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For those of you who have a broken garage door torsion spring and are trying to sort through what’s true and what’s a sales gimmick here is some garage door torsion spring fact and fiction, I hope you’ll find very helpful.

There are two types of garage door replacement torsion springs available. The most common type is the “oil tempered spring”, this particular construction has been around since the beginning of garage doors and is the most commonly found torsion spring. The other type of torsion spring that you’ll find is a galvanized torsion spring that is shiny and is touted to last longer and not get your hands dirty. On a side note we don’t recommend consumers handle the springs so who cares about dirty.

Now assuming that you have two identical doors and one door has oil tempered torsion springs and the other has galvanized torsion springs if they are installed at the same time and used the same amount of cycles then the oil tempered torsion spring would break before the galvanized torsion spring, this is a fact. Now here is where it gets tricky.

It’s extremely important that the proper springs are installed on your garage door the same as it would be that you wear the proper size shoe that fits you. It’s also extremely important for safe operation of the garage door manually and with an automatic garage door opener that the door be balanced so here is why “Oil Tempered Springs” are the only way to go.

The keywords here are a “balanced garage door”. The oil tempered garage door torsion springs installed today will still have essentially the same tensile strength one year from now and if the garage door was balanced it will still be balanced a year later. The galvanized garage door torsion springs will have lost approximately 9-15% of their tensile strength causing the garage door to no longer be balanced. In order to re-balance the door a service visit will be required at an added cost to you and tension will be added to the door. Each time tension is added to your garage door you shorten the life of the spring and since galvanized torsion springs continue to lose their tensile strength you’ll need to re-balance the door every year until the spring breaks.

Oil tempered garage door torsion springs cost a few bucks more but you’ll save big in the long run!

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Garage Door Extension and Torsion Springs

January 29th, 2012 Posted in Garage Door Repairs
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Garage doors are heavier than most people realize.  The reason they seem light and easy to open is because they use springs to balance the weight and make the door easily opened by hand.  Without the springs, the garage door would be difficult to open and would come crashing down when you tried to close it.

Even if you have an automatic garage door opener, keeping your garage door springs in adjustment and repairing or replacing damaged or broken springs is important.  Garage door openers are built to work on a properly balanced garage door.  A door that is out of adjustment or that has a broken spring puts a lot of strain on the opener and will cause it to wear out and fail quickly.

The two most common types of springs are torsion springs and extension springs.  Extension springs are mounted along the horizontal tracks and are attached to the garage door through a system of cables and pulleys.  As the door is closed, the spring stretches and takes up some of the load. 

Torsion springs are mounted above the top of the door and run parallel to the closed door.  Instead of extending, the torsion springs coil or wind up as the door closes and uncoil or unwind as it opens. 

If you have a broken torsion spring or extension spring, or if your springs need to adjusted, call a garage door contractor with experience in garage door repairs.  Garage door springs are under a lot of tension and can be very dangerous.  Many people have been maimed or killed by garage door springs so let the professionals handle garage door spring replacements or repairs.

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