When it comes to replacing the spring on your garage door, there are two main types of springs available, torsion or extension. They each have subcategories, but these are the two groups they all fall under. They both work quite differently and it’s important to take their strengths and weaknesses into consideration before making your choice. VF&I Garage Doors is here to help differentiate the two and help you make the right decision for your garage door.
Garage Door Extension Springs Catalog
Extension springs used to be the most common garage door spring found on residential garage doors. They look a lot like the spring found on a trampoline and they expand, providing counterbalancing force, to open the garage door. They are found on both sides of the garage door above the horizontal tracks. The extension spring system can be very dangerous. It is recommended to have a safety cable that runs through the center of the spring to safeguard against the spring breaking. If it breaks without this safety cable it can cause severe damage and injury. Extension springs require more parts to install, which can in turn, have more parts that are capable of breaking and needing replacement. You can expect extension springs to last anywhere from 5,000 to 10,000 lifts.
Heavy Duty Garage Door Torsion Springs
Torsion springs use torque to lift garage doors. This spring is located inside a shaft and twists and turns slowly to lift the door. Torsion springs are located on the upper section of the garage door and mounted on the door header. Because the spring is located inside a shaft, it is considered much safer than extension springs. This type of garage door spring is capable of lifting up to 500 lbs. and is the better option if your garage door is made out of heavy materials. Torsion springs tend to last quite a bit longer than extension springs. With a torsion spring, you can count on getting about 20,000 garage door lifts.
What Type of Garage Door Spring is Better?
Extension springs usually don’t cost as much to buy and install as torsion springs do, but you will get more garage door lifts out of the torsion springs. If you consider how much longer torsion springs last, they end up being more cost effective than extension springs. Torsion springs are also considered quite a bit safer than extension springs, because the working parts of the torsion springs are located inside the shaft. In the end, they are recommended over the extension springs because of safety and longevity. Even though they may cost more upfront, they are a good investment to make if it’s in your budget.
Full Service Residential Garage Door Inspection, Emergency Repairs, Preventive Maintenance, Installation & Replacement in Las Vegas, Summerlin, North LV & Henderson Nevada
If you have garage door springs that you are concerned about needing replacement or repair, VF&I Garage Doors can help. Because repairing or replacing garage door springs can be dangerous when you aren’t using the proper tools and don’t have the proper training, it isn’t a project you should tackle on your own. Call us today to set up an appointment.
