Unless fixing things is something you have done for a living or a hobby, including your garage door, all you may know about your garage door springs is that you have one or two depending on the door you have. So, you could be excused from not knowing that there are actually two different kinds of garage door springs, torsion springs and extension springs. Here are the differences between torsion springs and extension springs.
Torsion Springs for Garage Doors.
Torsion springs get their name by using torque to lift the garage door. Attached above the garage opening, torsion springs slowly twist and coil on the shaft whenever force is applied. Torsion springs come in a variety of options, including various wire sizes and lengths. These variations are calculated specifically depending on your garage door weight, height, track radius and more.
Extension Springs for Garage Doors.
Extension springs are smaller springs attached to the sides of your garage door above the upper horizontal tracks. Extension springs are the most common residential garage door spring type. In order to open the door, these springs extend — providing counterbalancing force to support the door.
How to Tell the Difference Between the Two.
The way you can tell the difference is torsion will wind or unwind to lift the door, and the extension will expand and contract. You will never have a combination of the two, though.
Which Garage Door Spring is Better?
To say which one is better really depends on what you’re looking to get out of it when buying the spring. Extension springs are cheaper, yet they require more maintenance because they have more exposed parts. Extension springs are useful if you do not have a lot of overhead space in your garage compared to a torsion spring system. Yet, torsion springs are able to support more weight and last twice as long so many consider them the better value. Torsion springs also have fewer exposed parts, so they’re also safer to use. With all that said they are more expensive than extension springs.
If you’re unsure of which one is right for your situation, the best advice is to talk to a garage door professional. If you’re here in the Houston Metro area, you can call us here at Spectrum Overhead Door LLC at 281-748-9542, and we can help you decide which is right for your situation. Mike, our office manager, and the dispatcher has over 8 years field experience and has a vast knowledge of garage door repair.
Also, please remember that although you can replace the garage door springs yourself, it can be dangerous. If you have a professional replace your springs, you not only have a warranty on the parts but also the labor, so you can rest assured the garage door spring will work correctly.
Spectrum Overhead Door LLC has been serving the Houston metro area since 2006. With award-winning service, you can be rest assured your garage door problems are in good hands when you call Spectrum Overhead with your garage door issues.
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