Garage door repair can be very difficult without understanding a very important part of the overall garage door components, especially the springs.  These springs are a vital part of a garage door opener system as they help to lift and lower the door to lower the stress on the actual garage door opener motor. 

Garage doors on average are used 2 times a day.  That’s over 700 times a year that the door is opened and closed.  Because of all of this opening and closing it is very important to inspect your springs periodically.  These springs are under intense strain and tension at all times and are very unsafe if they become damaged or are not maintained. 

There are two main types of garage door opener springs.  They are called torsion and extension springs.  Both are very effective and need to be correctly understood before undergoing garage door repair.  Each spring works in a different way and require different parts and design to make sure the that operate effectively and efficiently. 

Torsion springs are usually located on a rod directly above the garage door.  There are usually two springs that are separated by the center piece of the spring.  Torsion springs lift the door either manually or with your electric garage door opener.  These springs have a life cycle from 10 to 15 years depending on how they are maintained.  If one of them breaks you should replace both at the same time because they both will go bad around the same time.

Extension springs are located on the left and right side of each of the side door tracks.  These types of springs are much easier to repair than the Torsion type of spring.  There is still a safety risk however because of the intense strain and tension these springs are under. 

It should be relatively easy to know what kind of spring mechanism is installed in your garage by simply inspecting the garage door.  We would absolutely recommend using a garage door repair service to handle the replacement of garage door springs.  There is a lot of safety risk involved with these springs and unless you really know what you are doing you should totally use the services of a certified professional.

By understanding the springs you have in your garage door you should be able to make a better educated decision on exactly what repairs need to happen and will ultimately save you some cash