A garage door that does not lift smooth or a garage door that slams shut too fast indicate that the garage doors torsion springs are not the correct size for the garage door’s weight. Torsion springs are the coiled metal springs locating above the garage door’s opening on a steel shaft. These spring store energy when the garage door moves down into the opening and release that energy to open the garage door.
If the garage door’s torsion springs are of the correct size for the garage door, it will feel light when being opened or close. However, if the torsion springs are of the wrong size for the garage door, the garage door will create strain on the garage door opener’s motor. This strain result in the risk of torsion springs failing suddenly.
How to Choose the Right Garage Door Spring
There are four measurement that will determine whether the torsion spring that will be used will work for the garage door. These four measurements include the wire thickness of the torsion spring, the inside diameter of the torsion spring, the length of the torsion spring, and the total weight of the garage door. The person replacing the torsion spring must have an understanding of each of these four measurement to ensure that the new torsion spring will be the correct size for the garage door.
The first of the four measurements is the wire diameter of the torsion spring. The diameter of the torsion spring’s wire is the control of how much force the torsion spring can produce. The more force that is needed to open the garage door, the thicker the wire of the torsion spring.
The second measurement of the torsion spring is the inside diameter of the torsion spring. This measurement is important because the inside diameter of the torsion spring must match the steel shaft that is inside the garage door. Most steel shaft have a diameter of 1.75 or 2 inches.
The third measurement is the length of the torsion spring. The longer the torsion spring, the more energy that it can store within the garage door so that more force can be provided to open the garage door. The fourth and last measurement is the total weight of the garage door.
The heavier the garage door, the more force that is required to open it, which also returns to the requirement of the thickness of the wire of the torsion spring. A seven-foot steel garage door weighs approximately 150 pound. However, if the garage door is made of solid wood or insulated layer, the weight of the garage door can exceed 200 pounds.
A torsion spring that is too light for the weight of the garage door will cause the garage door to struggle to open the garage door. However, if the torsion spring is too strong for the weight of the garage door, the garage door will struggle to close. The wind direction of the torsion spring is another measurement that must be identified.
The torsion spring can be wound in a direction to the left or right. The correct torsion spring will sit on the side of the shaft such that the coils of the torsion spring will tighten when the garage door is closing. An incorrect wind direction will result in strain being placed upon the garage door opener and torsion spring.
The material that the garage door is made of will also affect the weight of the garage door. A single-layer steel garage door is a light garage door that a basic torsion spring that is provide with the garage door can balance. However, if the garage door has insulation layer between two layers of steel, the garage door will be heavier.
The same is true for garage doors with wood panels; the weight of the garage door will double with the addition of these wooden panels. The cycle life of the torsion spring is the number of times that the garage door can open and close before the torsion spring break. The cycle life of a torsion spring is measured in cycles of ten thousand.
If a garage door opens and closes four time per day, a torsion spring with a cycle life of ten thousand will last the garage door for approximately seven year. Similarly, a torsion spring with a cycle life of twenty-five thousand will last the garage door for approximately fifteen years. The cycle life can be increased to avoid the need to replace the torsion spring within the garage.
Measuring the existing torsion spring will allow the person to determine these four measurement. The diameter of the wire can be measured by counting the number of coils within a ten-inch section of the garage door’s opening. The inside diameter can be measured by placing calipers around the torsion spring.
The length of the torsion spring can be measured from one cone of the torsion spring to the other. The weight of the garage door can be measured by lifting one corner of the garage door on a scale while someone else supports the other corner of the garage door. These four measurements will allow the person to find a replacement torsion spring that has the same measurements.
Most garage doors use a single torsion spring, especially for those that are light in weight. However, once the weight of the garage door exceeds 150 pounds, using two torsion springs will allow for more even distribution of the weight of the garage door on the garage door opener. Should one torsion spring fail, the other will support the garage door so that it does not fall into the garage.
Safety is another vital component when selecting the size of the torsion spring that will be used for the garage door. Torsion springs can store a great deal of energy that can cause serious injury if released suddenly. When working with torsion springs, it is important to use proper winding bar to avoid injuries to the person installing the garage door’s torsion spring.
Wearing gloves will also protect the person installing the torsion spring from any injury from the metal of the torsion spring. Finally, wearing eye protection will protect the person from any potential injury from the metal of the garage door’s torsion spring. Most people will decide that a professional should perform the installation of the torsion spring to ensure that the proper tool are used to set the torsion spring and that the professional is covered by liability insurance.
If the correct size of the torsion spring is used for the garage door, the garage door will open and close even when the garage door opener is set to use the torsion spring. Additionally, the garage door opener will last for a longer amount of time if the correct size of the torsion spring is used. A torsion spring that matches the weight and height of the garage door will be quiet in operation over many year.
However, if the torsion spring used for the garage door does not match the garage door, there will be a series of problem created each time the garage door is opened or closed.
