Important Things To Know About Your Springs

When it comes to your garage door opener, the springs are really the heart of the system.  They’re responsible for more than 90% of the lift when the door opens and closes, so it’s important for a residential system owner to know something about them.  Here’s a basic rundown to get you started.

Safety first, safety second

Your springs, no matter if they’re torsion springs or extension springs, are very dangerous.  They’re under incredible pressure, and it takes a trained professional to replace them.  Safety first – don’t attempt to replace them on your own.  Also, springs are carefully calibrated to the weight of the door.  Adding additional weight to any part of the system, such as hanging objects from the inside of the door, can have adverse effects.  The springs are not calibrated for additional weight, and neither are the tracks – they have a very specific set of specifications. Adding weight can cause the springs to degrade quickly, and the track to warp and buckle under the stress.  Refrain from adding anything to your system that could affect its weight.

Springs come in sets, not alone

Now that that’s out of the way, let’s go over the basics.  Springs are mostly installed in pairs, and should be replaced at the same time because the balance and adjustment of them is very important. Having two different springs can cause your system to be thrown out of balance, and if you replace just one spring, the remaining one is likely to fail soon after.  Save yourself the trouble and have both installed at the same time.  This is a money-saver in the long run, as having a trained professional out to your house twice will end up costing more money.  Do yourself a favor and have the rest of your system checked out, too. You can contact our garage door repair company in Everett for more information.