Garage doors are one of the main entry points of many homes. They do not only act as entry points but the garage also as storage units for many people as well. Despite them being an instrumental part of many homes, garage doors are often overlooked, and their security is neglected until something goes wrong. Most of the time, proper maintenance could go a long way to ensure minimal problems with the garage door and more accurately the springs will have a longer lifespan.
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Most garage doors work with simple yet effective physics principles; pulleys and springs. As a result, a garage door spring is an essential part of the garage door’s functionality. They ensure that you can open and close the garage door manually or automatically. But most homeowners do not fully understand what garage door springs do. You can check out www.chicagogaragedoor.com/repair for more details on everything garage door springs.
However, here is a list of things you should know about garage door springs:
Different Types Of Garage Door Springs
Extension Spring
As the name suggests, this type of spring’s primary purpose is to extend downwards or contract upwards during the opening and closing of the garage door. When you open the garage door, the spring extends, storing energy through the tension, which allows you to close the garage door through contracting. They are long and run parallel to the horizontal tracks.
- Open-loop extension spring: Considered the weakest type of extension spring. Mainly used for small residential garage doors.
- Double-loop extension spring: Has two coils at the end of the spring, offering more support. Mainly used for larger residential garage doors and small commercial garage doors.
- Clipped extension spring: Heavy-duty and can hold a lot of weight. Ideal for large garage doors.
Torsion Spring
Torsion can be defined as the act of being twisted. From this definition, we can surmise that the torsion spring is the wounded spring along the torsion shaft located above the garage door. The torsion spring is always thicker than extension springs because they store most of the mechanical energy needed to move the garage door. The torsion spring tightens around the torsion bar when the door is closing and unwinds when the door is opening, working concurrently with the garage door cables and extension spring.
- Standard Torsion spring: Lighter and ideal for residential homes
- Early set torsion spring: Mounted at the center of the torsion shaft, offering more balance and support. Ideal for residential garage doors.
- Steel rolling torsion spring: This heavy spring is contained in the torsion barrel. Ideal for large residential and commercial garage doors.
- Torque Master torsion spring: This is designed enclosed within the torsion shaft; as a result, it offers more power and is ideal for heavy doors.
How Do You Know When To Replace Garage Door Springs
Now that you know the different types of garage door springs, understanding when you should replace them is also important. Ideally, most manufacturers state that you should replace garage door springs 7 to 12 years after purchase. However, with so many factors in play, it is always important to check the garage door itself to know when you should replace the springs:
- When you hear loud scratching noise when you open or close the door
- Bending on top of the garage door
- Unable to open or close the garage door
- The door is not hanging straight when you open it
- Door jerking when you open or close it
How To Properly Maintain Your Garage Door Springs
Like any metallic moving part, proper maintenance is key to ensuring the durability of the garage door springs and the garage door itself. The first and most important thing to remember is to keep the springs and the moving parts around them lubricated. Lubrication reduces friction between moving parts, ensuring less tension and less energy is used during moving the heavy parts.
Springs naturally lose their tension over time, meaning the more resistance they encounter, the more likely they are to lose their tension. Lubricating the springs ensures they are under less stress and can maintain their tension for longer, leading to fewer spring replacements. .’Lubricating the springs and other moving metallic garage door parts also reduces rust, which in turn increases the springs' durability and maintains their mechanical force.
As you can see, garage door springs may appear to hold a simple task in your garage door setup, but they are an essential part of the mechanism all the same. With a better understanding of garage door springs, you are well placed to maintain your garage door properly.
