Table of Contents
Your garage doors have a specific component in which, without it, they will not be able to function at all.
This component is what you know as your garage door spring.
Overhead garage door springs are responsible for making it possible to lift open and close your overhead garage doors.
They also support your door’s weight and function as a counterweight to it in order not to stress your garage door’s other components.
This being said, it is only expected that your springs are more prone to breakdown and the such due to the consistent use and load it is handling.
And when your garage door springs break down on you, it can cause a lot of different problems for your overhead garage doors.
This just shows how important garage door springs are to the overall functionality of your garage doors.
This being said, choosing the right spring for your garage doors is the best way to make sure that they not break down easily and as frequently.
With the proper spring, you can properly prolong your door’s lifespan allowing them to function for a longer set of time before needing spring repairs.
However, how exactly can you select the right spring for your garage doors?
Well, if you are interested to know how to select garage door springs, then let’s find out together below.
Garage door springs – what you need to know
Before we get to the main topic at hand, let us first start by getting to know better your overhead garage doors.
By doing so, you will be able to better understand how they work and what you need to do when dealing with them.
Now, there are two different types of springs being used in your garage doors – torsion springs and extension springs.
Although their main functions somewhat seem the same, they can also be very different and unique from each other in their own way.
Torsion springs are your garage door springs that are responsible for lifting your doors open and close.
They store energy by coiling tightly when you lift your garage doors open and close.
It is thanks to your garage door’s torsion springs that your openers and yourself do not have to exert much force when lifting open your garage doors.
On the other hand, extension springs can be found parallel to your garage door tracks.
They store energy by extending when your garage door closes and releasing that energy when it opens.
They support your garage door’s weight just like with your torsion springs and provide the necessary power to lift your garage doors open.
Choosing the right garage door spring for your needs
So, how exactly can you select garage door springs?
When choosing a garage door spring for your garage door, there are a lot of things you need to consider and keep in mind.
You need to factor in your garage door’s weight, the specifications of your garage door springs, and many more.
However, there are three main things you need to focus on when choosing a garage door spring – the color-coding of the spring, and the measurement.
If you get these three right, then surely you will not have a lot of problems when selecting a garage door spring.
Let us get to know these three things in greater detail.
Spring color-coding system
If you have noticed, your garage door springs come in different colors.
And these colors are not there just for aesthetic purposes, it serves a greater function than you initially thought.
Depending on whether you need an extension spring or a tension spring, the coding varies significantly.
With extension springs, the colors represent the lifting power it can provide.
If you do not choose the proper spring color, you will find that it may not even be able to open your garage doors at all.
Here the different extension spring colors that you need to know about and their corresponding power levels:
– Tan = 100lbs
– White = 110lbs
– Green = 120lbs
– Yellow = 130lbs
– Blue = 140lbs
– Red = 150lbs
– Brown = 160lbs
– Orange = 170lbs
– Gold = 180lbs
– Light blue = 190lbs
The color sequence rotates and repeats once you reach the 200lbs mark starting all over with the color tan.
When it comes to torsion springs, the color-coding mean differently.
Instead of it signifying the spring’s power capacity, it stands for the direction it is being winded in.
If you are looking for a right-winded torsion spring, make sure you choose black colored spring and if you are looking for a left-winded one, choose a red one.
Measuring your garage door springs
Another thing you should do before buying a replacement spring is to measure your old spring and get its specifications.
This is to make sure that you do not end up getting the wrong spring for your needs.
There are three main things that you need to measure when it comes to your garage door springs, and these are as follows:
- Wire size
- Spring inside diameter
- Length of spring
Now when measuring these three, make sure you get it as accurate as possible as doing so will help you select the proper spring for your garage doors.
If you need any visual help to guide you on how this is done, you may refer to this video below for assistance.
Choosing Kald Gart Garage Doors
If you are having trouble choosing the right spring for your garage doors, do not hesitate to contact us – Kald Gart Garage Doors.
We offer a wide range of services from garage door installation to residential and commercial garage door repair services.
So rest assured, whatever the problem may be for your garage doors, we can surely help you out with it.
With us, all you need to do is sit down and relax as we get the job done for you in the shortest time possible.
Worry not as with Kald Gart Garage Doors, you will surely get the best quality services you can find in the area.
Reach out to us now and allow us to help you out with your garage door needs.
Get the services that you deserve by choosing the best garage door repair company in the area.
Choose Kald Gart Garage Doors.
We will definitely not let you down.
