Replacing garage door springs is a bit risky, because of the tension present in these springs. There are two types of springs used for garage door installation. These springs are used in both, manually as well as electronically operated doors. The springs also produce the same tension in the other attached components of the garage door. Even a small scratch or nick can damage these springs permanently. Therefore, garage door springs and other hardware attached to the springs need to be handled carefully for both, the safety of the person and the preservation of the spring.
Replacing Garage Door Springs
Basically there are two types of garage door springs: torsion springs and extension springs. Usually torsion springs are used for sectional roll-away doors; whereas, extension springs are used for swing-up doors.
Garage Door Torsion Springs: Torsion springs work on the principle of 'twisting'. These springs are placed above the center of the door on a metal shaft, which is parallel to the edges of the door. There are strong cables attached to the bottom part of the door, with the help of which, the garage door opens and closes. When the torsion springs twist, these cables help the garage door to lift. The door closes, when the torsion springs extend. Replacing the garage door torsion springs must be done carefully. The torsion shaft which passes through these springs, prevents possible accidents due to spring failure.
Garage Door Extension Springs: Extension springs work on the principle of stretching. They are located on the top rim of the garage door, on each side of the door track. They are also called side-mounted springs because of their position. They are long and heavy springs, attached to each side of the door. Efficiency of these springs reduces, because of the force exerted and usage. These springs should be installed with a strong restraint cable through the center, which prevents possible accidents in case the spring fails.
The garage door and floor must be leveled properly. Without this leveling, garage doors do not close evenly. Time and usage reduce the efficiency of these springs. Both the springs used in the garage door function together. Therefore, even if one of the springs break, you need to replace both of them. If you replace any one of them with a new one, it will result in an imbalanced door opening mechanism.
In garage door repairs, most accidents occur during the replacement of the springs. However, some accidents also happen due to incorrectly adjusted garage door springs. Therefore, adjusting garage door springs appropriately is equally important. Increased or decreased tension in the spring can also be a factor affecting the improper opening and closing mechanism of the door. Loose springs also cause imbalanced doors. Extension springs are easier and safer to replace, in comparison with torsion springs.
Assemble all the accessories and tools, you may need for repairing, in advance. Check your garage door springs and other parts of the garage door regularly. Make it a habit to check the whole garage door system, once in a month. Always refer to the user manual first, before doing any repairing or replacement. Follow all the instructions and precautions given in the user manual. These heavy-duty garage door springs are under constant high tension, which increases the level of danger during repairs. Get it done by the professionals, if you don't have much knowledge about the spring's replacement. Any unfortunate accident can pose a serious risk to your physical well-being. Therefore, adjust or replace garage door springs with uttermost precaution.
