Garage Door Springs – An overhead door spring is one of those things a person rarely thinks about until it needs fixing.
Homeowners should always keep their overhead doors’ springs in check.
This is so that hazards may be avoided and alleviated.
Imagine this example wherein there is an emergency and, all of a sudden, the overhead door will not open.
It’s already a hassle to resolve the emergency and, now, another problem came about.
One can’t simply leave the garage open for the world to see while away because there’s the risk of burglars getting inside the house.
This article aims to inform the reader of what type of springs are to be replaced or bought and help him/her avoid these types of scenarios.
How to Replace an Garage Door Spring?
There are two options available when replacing overhead door springs.
One is to call a professional to repair the damage inflicted on the springs or if they need replacing
The other is to engage in do-it-yourself projects to fix those springs.
Calling a professional to replace the spring may cost around $200 to $300.
Doing it yourself would cost around $30-$100 in spare parts as there is no need to pay for labor.
However, by contacting a professional, one avoids all the hazardous risks and possible bodily injuries.
This is because these people are professionally trained technicians who will take care of repairing one’s overhead doors with the utmost care.
Sad to say, not everyone has $200-$300 lying around to spend on this type of service;
thus, a lot of individuals resort to doing it themselves with the guidance from articles and step-by-step videos on the internet.
With this in mind, it is always good to exercise extra caution when trying to replace an overhead door spring.
Below are the different types of overhead door springs.
Extension Springs
These are the long and slender springs that run parallel to the door horizontal tracks.
There are open-looped, double-looped, and clipped-end extensions springs.
Knowing the kind of spring that will be used is essential when informing repair technicians what exactly needs fixing.
Open-Looped Extension Springs
These are considered the weakest type of extension spring as this spring relies on a wire at the end.
If the wire breaks, the whole spring needs to be replaced.
Double-Looped Extensions Springs
Generally stronger than an open-looped spring, these springs have two coils at the end that are connected to the pulley and eyebolt.
Clipped-end Extension Springs
This is the most reliable of the springs, usually lasting longer and are used on heavier overhead doors.
Torsion Springs
These are the broad springs located near the shaft above the door opening.
Usually, aluminum drums are placed on the end of a shaft and the springs inside it are woven to a torsion setting depending on the assembly.
There can be one to four torsion springs present depending on the mechanism.
Torsion springs can be the standard, the torque-master, the steel rolling-door, or the early-set ones.
Standard Torsion Springs
These springs are normally used on residential overhead doors because these doors only require one or two to support themselves.
Torque-master Torsion Springs
These can be found within the torsion shaft and are situated in place by a cone that is located at each torsion’s end.
Steel rolling-door Torsion Springs
Usually used on commercial or industrial buildings, these are the ones located inside the torsion barrel.
Early-set Torsion Springs
These springs are quite similar to the standard torsion springs.
However, what sets them apart is the early-set torsion springs are mounted and attached to the middle of the shaft.
Depending on the level of necessity, standard and early-set torsion springs are used for residential areas while steel rolling-door and torque-master torsion springs are used for commercial or industrial purposes.
The latter are heavier and require a bit more strength to open as compared to the lighter overhead doors of residential areas.
It is always good to note what type of spring one should use.
This would usually depend on the weight of the overhead door.
It would also be a good practice to ask for assistance or help from someone who might know more about overhead doors and its mechanism to fully understand its function.
For professional assistance, there are numerous garage door repair companies in Leduc, Edmonton, Beaumont and Stony Plain areas.
