Garage doors are vitally important. They protect your cars, motorcycles, or bicycles, from harsh weather conditions, they prevent children from accessing harmful chemicals and dangerous tools stored in the garage, and they add visual appeal to the home. Despite their importance, many homeowners pay little attention to the torsion springs, which lift and lower the garage door quietly and smoothly.
If you are having problems with your garage door, the torsion springs are probably the culprit. Here are telltale signs that you need to replace your torsion spring.
What Are Garage Door Springs?
Garage door springs are the metal coils located on either side of the garage door and they do all the heavy lifting when it comes to your door opening and closing. There are two types of garage door springs: extension springs and torsion springs.
Extension Springs
Extension springs are mounted on both sides of the garage door track. Because of the force applied to them whenever the garage door opens and closes, extension springs are paired with safety cables, which protect homeowners in case a bracket or cable fails.
Torsion Springs
Torsion springs are the industry standard for garage doors. They are located horizontally on a steel shaft and have cable drums on both ends.
There are four types of torsion springs:
- Standard garage door torsion springs are mostly found on residential doors, which only require one spring to open and close the door.
- Torque-master torsion springs are located within the torsion shaft and are secured by a winding cone that rests on each of the torsion rods.
- Early-set torsion springs are also found mostly in residential doors; however, they are mounted at the center of the torsion shaft.
- Steel rolling door torsion springs are frequently found in industrial and commercial buildings and are mounted within the torsion barrel.
How Do You Know When Your Garage Door Springs Need To Be Repaired?
To determine whether your garage door spring needs to be repaired, look out for the following signs:
- Crooked Garage Door: Often, a crooked door is caused by a damaged cable or a damaged extension spring. Extension springs are located on either side of the door and if they break, the door will get stuck in the tracks or go up unevenly. If you notice that the left and right sides of your garage door are misaligned, you may need to replace your springs.
- Garage Door Gets Stuck or Refuses to Lift: Garage door springs are designed in a way that allows you to lift the door manually if you have to. If you cannot lift your door manually, it probably means that the springs are not working properly and need to be replaced.
- Slow Moving Door: If an overhead door is moving slower than usual, the culprit may be a broken spring. If a spring is broken, the weight of your garage door may cause the door to move at a slower pace.
- Rust and Corrosion: Rust and corrosion can wear out the springs, causing them to malfunction. If you see obvious rust or corrosion, you should probably get a professional to replace the springs.
- A Visible Gap: When your garage door spring breaks, you may see a gap between the torsion springs. Do not attempt to fix this issue yourself; instead, contact a garage door repair professional.
If you notice any of these signs, you should contact a garage door repair technician. We do not recommend replacing damaged garage springs on your own because garage door springs are many pounds heavy and are under a lot of tension and are usually tightly wound; therefore, trying to replace them on your own can be dangerous. At Powell Garage Doors, we have a team of skilled technicians who offer premier garage door repairs. We understand that your garage door is the largest door to your home and having a broken overhead door spring poses a huge inconvenience to your day-to-day life. Contact us today for a free quote. We will have your door repaired the correct way the first time.
How Often Do Garage Door Springs Need To Be Replaced?
The most common reason for garage door spring failure is wear and tear. If properly installed, the average garage door spring should last around 10,000 cycles of opening and closing. If you go in and out of your garage once a day, you can expect a broken spring about 14 years after the installation date. If you go in and out twice a day, that number goes down to 7 years. The less you use your garage door, the longer its life expectancy.
How Can One Replace Garage Door Springs?
Replacing torsion springs can be difficult and dangerous, which is why we recommend leaving the job to a professional. If you are an experienced DIY enthusiast, you can attempt the following steps:
- Unplug the garage door opener and clamp it to the track as this will prevent the door from opening when tension is released on the springs.
- Hold the springs in place by inserting a winding bar into the winding cone. Push the winding bar up and down to test the force you will be working with. If you are okay with the grip on the winding bar, go ahead and loosen the screw set.
- Ensure that one bar is in the cone at all times as this will prevent it from unwinding and possibly injuring you.
- Unwind the spring by lowering the winding bar and inserting a second bar until the spring is fully unwound.
- Loosen and remove the torsion hardware that clamps the center stationary cones to the spring bracket.
- Take out the cables, springs, and cable drums.
- For torsion springs, ensure that you measure the spring length, inside diameter of the spring, wire size, and establish the winding orientation (whether the spring is right-wound or left-wound).
- Buy a new spring that matches the old spring in orientation, size, and type.
- Insert the new left spring into the torsion tube and ensure that the stationary cone is facing the center bracket. Thereafter, reinstall the cable drum.
- Install the new right spring and the center bearing and then secure the cones.
- Tighten the drums and thread the cables. Ensure that the tension is equal on both sides as this will prevent the door from slanting.
- Wind the spring in the opposite direction using the winding bars. Make sure that one winding bar remains in the winding cone throughout the process.
- Use a hammer to tap the winding bar as this will stretch out the spring.
- Tighten the screws on the cone.
- Lubricate the spring with a garage door lubricant then take out the clamp from the garage door.
- Lift the garage door about three feet to test whether the spring is working effectively and the replacement was successful. If the garage door drops to the ground, you will have to retighten the spring until it remains open on its own. If the door opens, you will have to loosen the spring until it remains in place.
Your garage door is not built to last forever. Some of its moving parts will eventually break down and when they do, you can count on Powell Garage Doors to complete a full repair on damaged garage door components.
Get A Free Quote For Your Garage Door Replacement In Utah County
Are you having trouble with your garage door? Powell Garage Doors is here to help. Our technicians have years of experience replacing broken garage doors in Utah County and they can replace your door too. We source replacement springs from trusted manufacturers; so, you can rest easy knowing that your new springs will serve you for years long after we have replaced your door. We can also replace your broken garage door and return it to its original condition, ensure that your spring system is functioning as it should
Your safety is our priority. We do not recommend undertaking a garage door spring repair project on your own because as we have seen, garage door springs are under a lot of tension and they can cause severe bodily harm to you or a loved one if you do not know what you are doing. Our technicians know how to handle dangerous tasks and can complete your spring repair project with the highest level of precision. Call us at 801-822-2474 or visit our physical location at 1533 W 1220 N St, Lehi UT 84043. We will have your garage door repaired at an affordable cost.
