Springs, and cables, and brackets, oh my!
Most models of residential garage doors that operate manually are built with one type of spring or another that make opening and closing a heavy garage door a one-hand job. These springs are made of heavy metal wire and, when installed, are under pressure to make opening and closing the garage door a one-hand operation.
Two Types of Garage Door Springs
One type of garage door spring is a torsion spring. A torsion springs works by twisting, or torsion. When a torsion spring operates, it exerts force (torque) in the opposite direction of the twist and in proportion to the amount it is twisted. Torsion springs are typically located at the top of the garage door.
Extension springs are more commonly known as tension springs, coil springs, or helical springs. The metal of the spring is wound around a central axis into a coil with attachment rings at either end. The spring is attached overhead with one end of the spring attached to the framework of the door tracks. The other end is attached to the door. The extension spring flexes and contracts as the door opens and closes and makes the manual operation of the door a lot easier.
When a garage door spring component breaks, the door often is inoperable. Garage door springs are tightly wound and work under a lot of pressure, and replacing them is not really a do-it-yourself job. Serious injury can occur from falling heavy garage door panels, track hardware, and spring components. If your garage door is old, or it sounds old because of squeaks and rattles, it’s best to have your garage door inspected by a professional.
Out of Balance
When a garage door opens and closes easily, smoothly, and noiselessly, we don’t think much about the mechanisms that operate it. But when the mechanism starts to rattle or make noises, the springs may be out of balance. Out-of-balance springs can cause more damage to the door overtime if it is not corrected. A small repair can become a big repair in no time.
Brackets
Garage door springs are attached at the bottom of the door by brackets. Just like the springs, the brackets of a garage door are under a lot of pressure. Only a professional should attempt to work on these brackets; in fact, most new models come with tamperproof brackets to remove the temptation to do it yourself.
Cables
Garage door springs are attached to the garage door via steel cables. They are the one component of the system that all the other components depend upon to function correctly. Even though they are made of steel, the constant wear and tear of opening and closing the door may fray the cable or snap the cable unexpectedly. Again, the whole system is under pressure, so if a door cable snaps, a serious injury may result.
Get On Track!
You can feel confident in choosing On Track Garage Doors for your residential and commercial garage door applications. On Track has more than 35 years of experience designing, installing, and repairing garage doors in Westchester County and surrounding areas. We service all of Westchester, Putnam, Rockland, and Dutchess counties for your garage door needs; from broken springs, pulleys, and cables, as well as service and repair for your electric motor. Our trucks are equipped with all necessary repair parts, so we are able to take care of all your repair needs in one trip!