Different types of garage door springs

Garage doors play a big part in maintaining the curb appeal of the house as well as its security. To ensure the garage door can do its work, all of its parts have to work seamlessly. One of the parts that play the most important role in the operation of a garage door is the garage door spring.

Fortunately for you, there are different types of garage door springs in the market. 

There are two main types of garage door springs you can see in various garage doors all over the world. The first is the torsion spring, which uses torque to open or close the garage door.

The second one is the extension spring, which extends and contracts to ensure the doors close and open. 

Let’s take a detailed look at various types of garage door springs.

What are the different types of garage door springs?

The only way garage doors can do their job of protecting the house as well as maintaining and enhancing its curb appeal is if it operates properly. For the smooth operation of a garage door, all of its moving parts as well as the parts that are not moving have to work properly and in sync.

If there is one part that has the most importance in closing and opening a garage door, it’s the garage door springs. 

These springs work as counterbalances for the garage door and ensure the door closes and opens without any hiccups. But, you would be wrong to think that there is only one type of garage door spring, as there are at least two different types of springs for garage doors. 

Here is our complete guide to garage door springs:

1. Torsion Springs

Let’s start with the most common type of garage door springs out there. Torsion springs don’t work like traditional springs, in that they don’t support the weight of the garage door by extending and contracting. Rather, they use torque to wind and unwind when the door opens or close and act as a counterbalance. 

These springs are visible from the outside, and you can see them installed either around a metal shaft or inside it right above the opening of the garage door. If the spring is installed around the metal shaft, then it will either be in the middle of the shaft, or to a side of it. 

Now, there are different types of garage door torsion springs available in the market. Here are a few of them. 

A. Standard torsion springs

If you are living in a residential area, then these springs are the best choice for you. You can see these springs right above the garage door, being installed around the metal shaft. How many standard torsion springs will be in a garage door will depend on how heavy the door is. 

If the door isn’t very heavy, there will only be one spring, while for heavier doors, two or more springs can be installed. Also, sometimes the springs can be installed at the side of the metal shaft instead of down the middle.

B. Steel rolling torsion Spring 

These springs are more suitable for commercial garage doors. Unlike the previous one, it does not have a metal shaft passing through it. Rather it is housed inside a torsion barrel, which itself is a sort of metal shaft. 

C. Early set torsion spring

These torsion springs are very similar to standard ones, except for where they are installed. Unlike standard torsion springs, which can be installed on one side of a metal shaft, these springs are always installed at the center of the shaft. 

D. Torquemaster garage door spring

This is by far one of the safest torsion springs out there. Like steel rolling torsion springs, they are housed inside a torsion barrel. But the difference between these springs and the aforementioned steel rolling ones is that you can find torsion cones at the end of torque master springs. 

2. Extension springs

These are another popular type of garage door spring. Unlike torsion springs, these vertical garage door springs do not use torque to close or open the garage door. Rather they use the traditional method of contracting and expanding when the garage door closes or opens.

Although torsion springs are more prominent nowadays, you can find extension springs in garage doors with low headroom. 

Now, there are a few different types of extension spring garage doors. They are:

A. Open Looped extension springs

Although it is easy to install open-looped springs in your garage door, they can be a bit problematic. On one hand, these springs are easily installable and you can easily replace them if you need to.

On the other hand, once they get damaged, there is no repairing them, and you need to replace the spring with a new one. 

B. Double-looped extension springs

Much like their open-looped counterparts, double-looped springs can also pose a few issues. It has the advantage of being much stronger than the previous springs since they have two coils at the end of them.

These springs are connected to a pulley and the eyebolt, making them stronger. But once they are damaged, replacing them is tougher than replacing open-looped springs. 

C. Clipped end extension springs

The longest-lasting extension springs and clipped-end extension springs don’t have to bear a lot of stress. This is because their ends have clips, which distribute the weight of the garage door evenly.

This makes them able to handle garage doors that can weigh up to 200 pounds. But once these springs get damaged, it is very hard to replace them. 

How to replace old-style garage door springs

If you see your garage door springs have been damaged, then you need to call a professional to replace them. Replacing a garage door spring is not a DIY job.

But if you have an extension spring, and you are in a hurry and also have the basic know-how of how to handle the changing of a garage door spring, here are the steps you need to follow. 

• Measuring the dimensions of the door
• Estimating how much the door weighs
• Lifting the door
• Unplugging the garage door opener and disconnecting it from the door
• Unbolting the far end of the extension spring
• Unbolting the pulley of the door
• Disconnecting the cable and removing the spring
• Connecting the new extension spring’s far end
• Pushing the safety cable through the newer extension spring
• Attaching the cable
• Connecting the cable and the pulley
• Attaching the door and the cable
• Reconnecting the garage door and the opener

Final Words

The key to understanding the working procedure of a garage door is to know the different types of garage door springs. This way, not only can you know how your garage door works.

But you can also understand if something\’s wrong with your garage door, especially if it is not opening or closing. We, at Precise Garage Doors, provide all kinds of garage door repair services, including replacing garage door springs. 

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