Can Garage Door Springs Be Too Strong? (Solved!)

Can Garage Door Springs Be Too Strong? A garage door that has too large of springs will use more force than necessary. Too large springs can cause the door to open and close quickly and can make it unsafe. 

Can Garage Door Springs Be Too Strong?

Having a door with too large of springs causes too much force acting on the door when it opens and closes. The sudden force can knock over the person who is opening it, and it will cause the door to bounce up and down once it is open. 

Can I use heavier springs?

It would be best to use the adequately weighted springs for your door as determined by the measurement charts provided by the manufacturer and through the colour code used for the different sizes of springs. Using the wrong size of springs, weight or otherwise, can cause damage to the door. 

How much tension should the springs have?

You should tighten garage door springs one complete revolution for every foot of the dor’s height. A complete revolution is about four quarter turns on the spring. 

How do I know if my garage door springs need to be adjusted?

You should check the balance of your door to see if your springs need to be adjusted. If you’re getting squeaking noises or creaking while opening and closing your door, then your springs are staining and need to be replaced. 

How hard is it to replace garage door springs?

It isn’t easy to replace your garage door springs, depending on which type of springs your door uses. Extension springs are relatively easy to replace because they lose most of their tension when the door is open, so they’re safer to work with.

Torsion springs are far more challenging to work with because there is a lot of tension built into the springs, and they can be very dangerous to work with if you don’t know what you’re doing. 

Are garage door springs dangerous?

Torsion springs are dangerous because they hold a lot of tension and have quite a bit of weight. A broken torsion spring can fall quickly and cause either injury or even death. 

Should you replace both springs at the same time?

Most professionals recommend that you replace both springs are the same time since the unbroken springs will lose some of their tension from being used, and it may fail shortly after the other one if you replaced them at the same time previously. 

How long should garage door springs last?

A garage door spring can last about 14 years from installation, or about 10,000 cycles of the door opening and closing. However, the lifespan of your garage door springs depends on whether the installation was correct and how well you care for them.

Do garage door springs need to be the same size?

The springs don’t necessarily need to be the same size for the same door. The important thing is for the springs to keep the door balanced to open and close correctly. There are some models of garage doors that use different sizes of springs to get an optimal balance. 

What happens if you over tighten a garage door spring?

Over tightening your garage door springs could cause them to break, causing severe injury. The same thing can happen if you try to tighten your springs too quickly instead of using a quarter turn at a time. 

How often should You Tighten Your Springs?

How often you need to tighten your springs depends on the type of springs and how old your springs are. You’ll want to keep an eye out for gaps under the door while it’s closed or any squeaking noises while you are opening or closing it. These are signs that the door is no longer balanced, and you should tighten the springs. 

How do you balance a garage door with side springs?

Here are some quick steps to take to rebalance your springs. Remember that this is a potentially dangerous job, so if you aren’t familiar with working with garage door springs, it may be best to hire professional help.

Step 1 – Open the door

If you have springs on the side of your garage door, then they are extension springs. It’s safest to work on these springs while the garage door is open because they lose their tension while the door is open. After opening your garage door, place a vice grip on the rail to keep your door up. 

Step 2 – Move the s-hook

If your door is falling a little once opened, move the s-hook forward to add more tension to the side out of balance. You should adjust the s-hook one notch at a time to ensure you don’t overshoot and make them too tight.

If your door bounces back up a bight when closed, then you need to move the s-hook backwards to decrease the tension on the springs. Try to get eh s-hoks to be the same distance on both sides, but it may also turn out that one of your springs is more stretched than the other and will need more tension.

Step 3 – Test your door

Remove the vice grip and put the door down and up a few times. If it stays where it needs to be, and there aren’t any squeaking noises, then your door is balanced. If not, then you will need to repeat the first two steps until it is. 

Do garage door springs get weak?

As you open and close your garage door, the springs are being stretched and re-stretched each time. How long it takes for your springs to weaken depends on how you maintain your springs and how heavy your door is. 

Try checking your springs for tightening at least every four years. This isn’t a hard and fast rule but a good way of keeping your garage door well maintained. The best course is to pay attention to any signs that your door is out of balance and make adjustments.