Essential Knowledge About Torsion Springs

Knowing the basics about torsion springs is important for any garage door owner due to their importance and the risk associated with them.

How They Operate

One or two tightly wound springs act as the counterbalance when the door is raised and lowered. They are set on a steel shaft, and have cable drums at both ends. When the door is raised, the springs will unwind and release the tension which was stored last time the door was lowered. This turns the cable drums. The reverse process happens while the door closes. The drums turn and unwrap the cables, and the spring stores tension for the next raise.

Torsion spring replacement should always be carried out by a professional, as it is very dangerous. A broken spring may also snap the cables, which can cause property damage and serious personal injury, including, in some extreme cases, death. Do not attempt to fix a torsion spring yourself, and do not attempt to open the door if the springs break. The snap makes a loud noise, in some cases sounding like a gunshot, and is as such usually easy to recognise.

Why They Break

Garage door springs are manufactured to last, but not indefinitely. They will provide a minimum of 10 – 15 thousand cycles, each cycle consisting of one open and one close of the door. When the cycles are used up, a garage door is opened over a thousand times a year on average, the springs will wear down quickly. It is advisable to take action before they break in order to avoid an accident.

Other factors may also cause the springs to break. These can include a build-up of grease on the tracks, insufficient greasing on the bearings, hinges and other parts, loose tracks, and general poor maintenance. Before the springs break, they can become undone or tangle, both of which should be fixed quickly by a professional. Spring issues are the most common reason why garage doors cease to operate properly.

Know all parts of your garage door. The more you know, the better you can ensure that your door is at its best condition, and that no one gets injured and nothing gets damaged. The torsion springs are paramount to the operation of the door, and having a look at how a healthy spring looks is a good way of making sure you are able to tell when it is not.