Garage Door Torsion Springs
The role of the garage door springs is extremely important. This component is responsible for keeping the door in upright position and for providing the bigger portion of the energy that it needs for going up during opening, as well as staying open. The opener simply replaces manual operation; it offers the smaller chunk of energy required to start moving.
There are two types of torsion springs based on make
The components made from galvanized steel are the most widely used. This type of steel has zinc coating which makes it resistant to rust and corrosion. The oil tempered torsion springs are also made from steel. The difference is that the wire is first dipped in hot oil. As a result, the oil tempered components become more resistant to wearing. They are suitable for overhead garage doors which are used frequently during the day.
Most two-car garage doors use a single torsion spring mounted over a shaft right above the door. It is loaded with force. The amount of force has to match the weight of the door. Technically speaking, the lift of the hardware component must correspond to the weight of the door. The other major characteristic of these springs is the cycle life. It shows how many cycles the component can perform before it breaks. It is worth noting that each cycle consists of one opening and one closing. Currently, the industry standard is 10,000 cycles, but there are springs that have longer estimated cycle life.
The operation of the garage door torsion springs is simple to understand. The component is loaded with force when the door is in closed position. When opening is initiated, this force is released and applied to the drums at the end of the shaft. The drums transfer it to the lift cables and the door opens.