The torsion springs on your garage door play an important role in the operation of your garage door. However, many people are unfamiliar with them. If you have never heard of a torsion spring, learning about them can better help you to understand them and your garage door. Here are a few frequently asked questions you may have about a garage door torsion spring.
What is the Purpose of a Garage Door Torsion Spring?
One of the questions you may be wondering about is what is a garage door torsion spring and what is its purpose. The torsion spring consists of a spring on a steel shaft. There may be one or two torsion springs on your garage door, depending on the age of the door and weight of the door. If you have one torsion spring, it is centered on the top of the door. If there are two springs, they are located in the upper left and right corners of the door. As your door opens, the spring stretches out, helping to balance out and support the weight of the door. As the door closes, the springs tighten back up.
How Long Does a Garage Door Torsion Spring Last?
As your garage door opens and closes, the spring is stretched out and pulled back in again. While it is designed to do this, it eventually loses some of its elasticity and may be unable to expand and contract the way it should. Unfortunately, this limits how much weight the spring can support. When this occurs, the spring needs to be replaced. Unfortunately though, there is not a one-size-fits-all answer to how often the spring needs to be replaced. There are many factors that come into play that affect this answer.
The weight of the door and the number of springs you have on the garage door can affect how long a torsion spring lasts. How often you open and shut a garage door has an impact on its lifespan. And how well you care and maintain the spring will play a role in its lifespan. Most springs are guaranteed to last anywhere from 10,000 to 15,000 cycles or three to seven years. This should give you a general idea as to how long your spring may last. However there are some indicators to pay attention to that will help you determine when it is time to replace a garage door torsion spring.
What Sort of Maintenance Does a Garage Door Torsion Spring Need?
Maintaining your torsion spring is important to ensure its longevity. Fortunately, maintaining them is relatively easy. The springs need to be cleaned and lubricated regularly to help them last. To clean the springs, fill a small bowl with soapy water and dip a soft cloth or soft-bristled brush into the soapy water. Clean the spring, being sure to remove dirt, dust, debris and any rust that has formed. Wipe the spring down with a dampened cloth to remove soap residue and then dry the spring thoroughly to prevent rust.
After the spring has been cleaned, you will want to lubricate it. Apply a thin and even line of your preferred lubricating oil across the top of the torsion spring. Allow the oil to drip downward, coating the seams. Next, apply a thin line of lubricating oil lengthwise down the coil. Allow the oil to drip down through the seams. Add more oil to ensure the entire spring has been coated. Once the spring or springs have been coated, run your garage door up and down a few times to allow the oil to continue to work into the spring.
What are the Signs a Garage Door Torsion Spring Needs to Be Replaced?
One of the most notable sign that a garage door spring needs to be replaced is a spring that doesn't bounce back or retain its shape. If your spring looks stretched out, it needs to be replaced. Occasionally, the spring can also split when it is stretched out. If you notice a gap between the spring, it has snapped apart and needs to be replaced. The last common sign that your torsion spring needs to be replaced is your garage door falling down toward the ground quickly. This may occur when you go to open the door, leave the garage door partially opened, or close the door. If the spring or springs can't support the weight of the door or the torsion springs are broken, the garage door will struggle to stay up and may quickly close.
Garage door torsion springs are not something the average homeowner should attempt to replace on their own. When the springs are removed, nothing is supporting the weight of the door, which can cause it to collapse. This can cause you great injury or damage the door. As such, you will want to call in a garage door repair company like AAA Garage Door, Inc.
Your garage door torsion spring is important to the operation of your garage door. Learning what it does, how long it lasts, how to care for it and when it needs to be replaced will help you to ensure your garage door does not cease working because of a faulty garage door torsion spring.
