El Dorado Hills Garage Door Repair

Tag: torsion springs

  • Understanding the Difference Between Oil Tempered & Zinc Galvanized Torsion Springs

    Understanding the Difference Between Oil Tempered & Zinc Galvanized Torsion Springs

    Understanding-the-Difference-Between-Oil-Tempered-&-Zinc-Galvanized-Torsion-SpringsYou probably haven’t given much thought to the torsion springs on your garage door. Most people don’t even know what they are. In a nutshell, they are the springs mounted horizontally above the door opening. They are attached to cables at the bottom corners of the door. These cables cause the springs to wind up to sustain stored energy. Torsion springs are the most common springs you’ll find on garage doors.

    There are generally two types of torsion springs: oil tempered and zinc galvanized.

    Oil tempered springs are the most common. They’ve been around for a long time. The advantage of these springs is they tend to keep their tension for a long time. Their main drawback is they are very prone to rust, which can cause the spring to break down and need replacement sooner.

    Most people think you need to tighten your springs pretty often. This isn’t necessarily true. The bottom line is that springs have a natural life span in how often they can be wound. The more often you wind your springs, the faster they’ll wear out. A good rule is to go for springs that have a long lifecycle.

    Zinc galvanized springs are pretty. They don’t rust. But they also don’t last as long. And they tend to make a lot of noise. There is this weird cranking sound as they roll down that can be pretty aggravating, especially when you’ve just been in rush hour traffic.

    A Word on Lifecycle

    Like your heart, springs can last longer the better they are taken care of. You can improve both types of springs with cycle life conversion tools. The best types will get you at least 20,000 conversions. But with a longer life cycle, the size of the wire increases. So you don’t want to go too high on the lifecycle — or you’ll pay through the roof.

    Replace Other Parts with Springs

    If you are replacing your garage door springs, it’s also a good idea to replace your bearings and cables while you’re at it. These tend to have a lower life cycle than the springs, so when you replace everything you are starting off with a blank slate. Why not just get it all out of the way?

  • What’s the Difference Between Torsion and Extension Springs?

    Your average garage door is made up of dozens of parts that work in unison so you don’t have to manually lift it. One of the most important parts of your door – and most dangerous – is the spring. Without it, your automatic overhead door opener would be rendered useless. If you’re interested in learning more about your door, it’s important to pay strict attention to the garage door springs. 

    Garage Torsion vs. Extension Springs

    The majority of overhead garage doors use a counterbalance system with a spring. Without a spring, your door would be incredibly heavy and difficult to operate. The two types of springs used are torsion and extension.

    Extension springs are the oldest design and typically 2 of them are required to the balance the door. They work by contracting and expanding during operation.

    Torsion springs are a superior design and usually, only 1 is needed to operate your door. Instead of expanding, garage door torsion springs actually turn.

    When it comes down to it, torsion springs are superior in every possible way. There’s little reason to choose extension nowadays. Torsion is better because:

    1) They last much longer. Extension springs tend to last about 10,000 cycles whereas high-end torsion springs can last up to 100,000 cycles. The longer torsion springs last for your door, the less likely you’ll end up spending on repairs. Repairs involving garage door springs can get quite costly, so It’s prudent to take the step in upgrading your extension springs. 

    2) In the event of a broken garage door spring, torsion is much safer. There have been reports of extension springs launching through walls, windshields, and even injuring bystanders.

    3) The sudden jerking motions caused by extension can lead to a garage door off track, which is another costly repair. Torsion stabilizes the operation of your door so you don’t have to worry about your door veering off track. 

    We recommend everyone consider switching to torsion style springs for their garages. It’s a small upgrade that could potentially save you money and your life. 

    A Reminder on Spring Safety

    At EDH-Serrano, when we discuss springs, we always like to remind everyone that they can be extremely dangerous. Never place body parts in or around springs. They’re under heavy tension and should they be recklessly tampered with, it’s extremely like that your door could break or crash, resulting in a pricey garage door repair. Also, springs have been known to cause death and dismemberment, so be extra cautious if you’re a novice. Should you want to upgrade your door’s springs, it’s key to contact a company that specializes in spring repair. They’ll walk you through the necessary info needed to purchase torsion springs for your door and will install it swiftly.