Playing a very important role in our garage door system are the springs.
They are the ones who take care of lifting the heavy door.
Whether we are installing a new garage door or replacing a worn-out spring, selecting the best spring for the garage door would be one of the most important decisions we will be making.
This article will guide us on how to select garage door springs.
Types of Garage Door Springs
Before we proceed to knowing how to select garage door springs, let us first learn the types of garage door springs.
Garage door springs are of two types – extension springs and torsion springs.
Extension Springs
Extension springs can be seen suspended a few inches above the tracks of a closed garage door.
Installation of extension springs are easier than torsion springs.
They work in pairs.
They require around 10 in. of headroom for proper installation.
Torsion Springs
Commonly used for newer garage door installations, torsion springs can be found sitting horizontally above the center of the garage door.
They function by winding and unwinding in place during raising and lowering of the door.
Compared to extension springs, the torsion spring evenly distributes the door weight better.
This makes them ideal for use with wide or extra-heavy doors.
They need 12 in. of headroom to be properly installed.
Steps in Selecting Garage Door Springs
In order to get the right spring for the garage door, the steps below are essential.
Know the spring’s wind direction.
A garage door spring can either be right-wound, left-wound, or both.
In order for us to determine the wind direction, we need to know the garage door springs’ order from right to left.
We need to check where the end of the spring is pointing.
A left-wound spring is the spring whose end points in a clockwise direction.
A right-wound spring is the spring whose end points in a counterclockwise direction.
Knowing the spring’s right wind direction is very important because buying the wrong ones will cause a malfunction of the garage door.
Measure the size of the wire.
To measure the garage door spring wire size, we will just follow the following steps:
- Using a tape measure, measure the length between 10 and 20 coils in inches.
- Compare the measurements to a spring wire size standard chart.
There are many available charts on the Internet that we can use for this step.
Measure the spring’s inside diameter and overall length.
Aside from the spring’s wire size, it is also important to know the inside diameter and overall length of the spring.
For the overall length, simple measure the spring along the coils.
The measurement should be.
The length of the spring should be measured to the nearest 1/4 inch.
For the inside diameter, most of the measurement can be read on the garage door.
If there is none, then we will just simply measure the diameter of the spring to the nearest 1/6 inch.
Identify the spring’s color-code.
There is a color code system used in garage door springs.
It helps in the proper spring identification needed when replacing a spring or repairing a garage door in general.
It helps in the determination of the size and weight of the spring.
Particularly for extension springs, the color-codes gives information about the spring’s primary lifting power.
With this, professionals servicing the garage door will be able to correctly use the spring that is powerful enough to lift the door.
For torsion springs, the color codes help in the determination of wire gauge or thickness.
The color-codes eliminates the need to manually measure the thickness or gauge of the spring’s wire.
Aside from the color-codes, there is also a distinct straight line that goes across the spring.
The line helps technicians know the spring’s overall state.
Even with the above steps, it is always best to seek the help and assistance of the professionals and experts in garage door and accessories installation.
Not only will be sure of a good and quality work, we can also be free from the unnecessary expenses that our not being experts might cost us.
