Be Aware of Your Garage Door Springs

06/24/2013 Back To Blog

Reliable Garage Door Company for your needs.

The garage door springs represent the most dangerous and major component of your door. They support the weight of your door panels which can be over four hundred pounds, assisting you to lift and lower the entire door. These springs are tensioned and are under tremendous pressure; failure of the springs can be extremely dangerous.

Types of Springs:

Most standard designs of garage door opener systems use two types of springs:

• Garage door extension springs; these are attached to both sides of the door. They stretch along the horizontal garage door track  when the door is in the closed position
• Torsion springs; are wound on a rod above the door header. These can be single or double in design.

The Warning Signs of a Problem

Torsion springs most commonly break when they are under the maximum level of stress. This occurs when the door is closing or completely closed. If you are in the process of manually closing the door when the spring breaks, don’t try to stop the door from moving. Clear your hands and feet out of the way and simply let it go. The door has a considerable weight and you could seriously injure yourself if you try to stop the door from slamming.

Extension springs should contain a safety cable inside to prevent the broken ends of a snapped cable from causing injury. Unlike the torsion springs which can show no signs of visible damage or wear until it has broken, the extension springs can be seen to be developing a problem. If you notice the spring coils becoming over stretched then they are becoming worn out and need replacement. This is easiest to see when the door is fully open.

If you have a problem with your springs or any other garage door parts, garage door repair Carrollton professionals will be able to assist you.