Garage Door: Spring vs Torsion Weight
Garage door systems need springs in order to gently lift and lower a garage door. If the spring on your garage door is worn out or broken you can’t replace it with just any spring. The spring must be the right match for the size and weight of the door. Read on to learn more in our post on garage door spring vs torsion weight.
What Do Torsion Springs Do?
Torsion springs↗ act as counterweights to the weight of the garage door. They support the efforts of the garage door opener by doing the “heavy lifting”. When a garage door needs to open, the opener guides the door along the tracks. The energy wound in the torsion springs is what actually lifts the door.
As the door opens, the torque in the torsion shaft keeps the cables tight on the cable drums at the ends of the shaft. This allows the springs to neatly wind up on the cable drum and for the torsion springs to unwind. As the cables wind up and the torsion springs unwind the door is lifted up onto the horizontal track.
A functional garage door system lifts the door in a balanced-manner.
An unbalanced door is a sign of:
- a failing,
- unbalanced,
- or poorly matched spring.
Garage Door Spring vs Torsion Weight
People often ask about spring vs torsion weight, when what they really want to know is what size torsion spring they need to lift the weight of their garage door. Specifically, someone looking for information about torsion springs might be asking about torsion lift (how much weight the torsion spring can lift).
The lift produced by a torsion spring(s) should be slightly less than the weight of the garage door. A garage door with the right torsion springs properly installed should feel significantly lighter than the actual weight of the door. Functional doors should also be noticeably balanced.
To order the correct springs for your garage door you’ll need to know a few details about your door system. Those details include:
- Spring length
- Wire size
- Inside diameter
- Spring wind direction
- Type of ends
You’ll also want to know the weight and height of the door.
All of these factors will determine the right torsion spring choice for your door.
Heritage Garage Door has served Southern California homeowners for over 30 years. Explore our website to learn more about us or contact us to schedule a repair, replacement, or installation service.
