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Garage Door: Weight vs Spring Size

Modern garage doors have automatic openers that make it easy to move in and out of our garage without having to do the heavy lifting to open or close the doors ourselves. The springs on your garage door play a major role in this task. Springs act as counterweights to the weight of the door allowing the automatic opener to lift and lower the door smoothly, but door openers only work smoothly with the right components. Understand how garage door weight vs spring size relate so you can purchase the right spring for your door.

Why Does The Size Of The Garage Door Spring Matter?

The garage door is likely the largest moving part of your home. The door itself can be extremely heavy, the starting weight of single doors is about 130 pounds and larger or heavier doors can weigh over 350 pounds. As a counterweight, the springs provide balance and stability to the door opening system. They make lifting the door more efficient, saving energy, and reducing the stress on the automatic opener’s motor.  

To keep your garage door functioning smoothly as long as possible it has to be properly assembled with the correct parts and it needs proper maintenance. Installing the door with the correct spring matters, you’ll likely only worry about this when you need to replace a spring. 

The size of the spring will depend largely on the weight of the door. Remember, the spring is a counterweight so it needs to be the right size to properly lift and lower the garage door. Operating a door with the wrong size spring can cause damage to the door operator and potentially create a dangerous situation where the door could fall. 

The Wrong Size Spring Can Cause Serious Problems

A door that is too large or too small can:

• Damage the opener
• Wear down the cables
• Cause a safety hazard
• Damage to the garage door

Choosing The Right Spring Size For My Garage Door

Before you choose the right spring size make sure you know which type of spring system your door uses, torsion or extension.

Torsion springs are located over the garage door and the number of springs depends on the size and weight of the door. Extension springs are located on each side of the door near the upper rails, there should always be two extension springs and cables. 

WARNING: TORSION SPRINGS, EXTENSION SPRINGS, AND OTHER GARAGE DOOR COMPONENTS CAN CAUSE SERIOUS INJURY OR DEATH IF NOT HANDLED PROPERLY. PROFESSIONAL INSTALLATION AND REPAIR IS RECOMMENDED. 

Garage Door Weight vs Torsion Spring Size

Weighing garage doors with torsion springs can be tricky, it’s best to contact a professional. To order torsion springs you’ll need to know the height of the door and the door weight. 

HOW TO WEIGH A GARAGE DOOR WITH TORSION SPRINGS

The best practice is to contact a professional unless you’re extremely comfortable handling a garage door. Do not attempt to weigh or repair garage doors alone. 

1. Disconnect the power cord from the outlet
2. Pull the rope to disconnect the opener
3. Use a ladder to reach the torsion spring and raise the door
   1. Insert a winding bar into the top winding cone on the broken spring
   2. Pull down 90° and insert the other winding bar into the cone
   3. Remove the first bar and pull the second bar down 90°
   4. Place the first bar back into the top winding cone and remove the second bar
   5. The remaining bar should be in an upward position, allow it to rest against the wall to hold the door in place
4. Step down from the ladder and place the scale under the door
   1. Make sure the surface below the scale is even
5. To lower the door you must adjust the torsion spring again
   1. Place the second winding bar into the cone, pull down on the bar and remove the top bar that was resting against the wall
   2. Allow the door to lower slowly by keeping a hold on the bar and pushing the bar upward (it shouldn’t need much force, you should be providing some restraint so the door doesn’t slam down)
   3. The bottom of the door should rest on the scale
6. Check the weight of the door. If the door has two springs and one is broken the weight of the door is actually about twice what the scale says.
7. To remove the scale, reverse the process. 

Garage Door Weight vs Extension Spring Size

Finding the right extension springs for your door is easy if the color hasn’t worn off the end. The garage door industry has a standard color chart↗ for the strength (pull) for springs. The official color codes are set by the Door & Access Systems Manufacturers Association International (DASMA)↗. The strength refers to how much weight the springs need to lift. 

If the color has worn out on your extension springs, you can attempt to weigh the garage door using the steps below and find the right color-coded springs using the chart provided.

HOW TO WEIGH A GARAGE DOOR WITH EXTENSION SPRINGS

The best practice is to contact a professional unless you’re extremely comfortable handling a garage door. Do not attempt to weigh or repair garage doors alone. 

1. Disconnect the power cord for the garage door opener
2. Disconnect the operator arm from the garage door.
3. Disengage the pin from the operator attachment bracket. (Pulling the release cord alone could result in an inaccurate reading.)
4. Uninstall both extension springs while the door is in the open position. Use vice grips on each side of the door under the rollers to prevent the door from slamming to the floor.
5. Slide a bathroom scale under the center of the door and lower the door slowly onto the scale.
6. Take multiple readings to get an accurate weight.

DASMA COLOR SPRING SIZE CHART FOR EXTENSION SPRINGS

Not Sure If The Springs Are Bad?

If your garage door has been experiencing some problems there may be something wrong with the springs or another component on the door opening system. Unless you’re absolutely certain of what the problem is, reach out to a professional to help diagnose the issue and provide you with a safe and reliable solution. 

Homeowners in Southern California can reach out to our team at Heritage Garage Door by phone or form. We’re always here to help.