Monthly Archives: March 2013

Posted:
Mar 20, 2013
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Garage Door Springs, Bedminster PA

The spring or springs (there can be one or more) on your overhead garage door is one of the most important components of the complete door assembly.  It is also an item that needs periodic inspection.  Garage door springs do fail, and a failure can be dangerous.

Torsion Garage Door Springs

One of the most common type of garage door spring is called a Torsion spring.   These are found at the top of the door.  A torsion spring is identified by diameter, direction of winding, length and wire size.   A shaft normally passes through the spring but in some cases it may house the spring. It will be mounted to the center or at one end of the shaft. The wire size, diameter and length of the spring will determine the amount of lift available and the life cycle. The industry standard is 10-15,000 cycles for new doors.

You can measure your existing torsion spring using any tape measure.  Spring diameters are based on the inside diameter.  They typically will be either 1 ¾” or 2” for a residential garage door.  Extension springs can go up to 6” for larger doors.  Wire size can be found by measuring the length of 10 coils in the spring and dividing by 10.  So a measurement of 2 .5” will give you a .250 wire size.

Torsion springs are not easily installed.  They require a lot of stored energy during installation and the installation is best left to professionals.

 Extension Garage Door Springs

Extension type springs are found above each horizontal track or along the sides of your door. There will be a minimum of 2 springs required.   These springs are color coded to make it a lot easier to find the correct replacement.  If your spring is not color coded or you can’t make out the color, you can still determine the replacement needed.

They are sized according to the weight and height of your garage door.  Extension springs can wear out over time but can be changed out fairly easily.  In order to achieve the maximum cycle life of your extension spring and what type to buy for a replacement, you will need to know the weight and height of your door.  The taller the door the longer spring you will need.  One way you can find the weight of your door is by placing a bathroom scale under it.  This works much better using an analog scale.

You Might Need a Professional

Use caution when working with garage door springs.  If you don’t have the proper tools, assistance and experience it is highly recommended that you call a reputable overhead door company to install new garage door springs on your home.  Steich Overhead Doors is a family owned business and has been in business for over 30 years in the Montgomery County / Bucks County Pa area.  Our evaluation is completely free and comes without a high pressure sales pitch.  Give us a call.

Posted:
Mar 12, 2013
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The Life of a Garage Door

fbook post dec 18

The life of a garage door is much like the life of anything else: there is a conception consisting of designs and blueprints, a birth where the garage door goes through production and installation, an adolescence and teenage years full of growing pains, adjustments and the owner becoming acquainted with the door, a middle age full of dents and blemishes to its façade caused by years of use and abuse, and older years of malfunctioning, which leads to its eventual replacement.

In an attempt to personify these inanimate but useful objects, let’s look at the life of a garage door from its perspective.

The Birth of a Garage Door

I was pieced together by large machines. Robotic arms the size of dinosaurs placed parts on me as I waited in line to be packaged and delivered to my new owner. When I arrived at a large house, which would become my dwelling for life, a few people fit me in a large rectangular hole, and suddenly I was able to slide up and down with the push of a button.

Adolescence and Teenage Years

My new owner doesn’t seem to be particularly bright when it comes to my operations. He frequently forgets to close me when he’s leaving for work and continues to place items within my path, which is frustrating to say the least. Occasionally, when he wants me closed, I’ll randomly decide to slide back open when I’m half way down. This is to get back for some of the abuse I feel he’s giving me. Nonetheless, I feel we’re getting to know and understand one another much better.

The Garage Door’s Middle Ages

My owners’ kids seem to have grown, and become quite abusive. They play hockey in the driveway and decided to put the hockey net right in front of me. They shoot a puck, slapping it toward the goal non-stop. Rarely do these shots make in the goal and instead smack me in the face. This hurts, leaving dents upon dents. I’m beginning to come to terms with my own mortality, realizing that as I age and become slightly less reliable, I will eventually be replaced. This is depressing. I wish I could buy a Porsche and go skydiving.

Time to Replace the Garage Door?

The kids have grown up and left the house for college. My motor is beginning to have some problems, which has required many procedures. I hear there are some new Garage doors that put my antiquated model to shame, and I suppose my owners are contemplating getting rid of me. I’ll admit that I’m not as reliable as I once was, but years of abuse and neglect will do that to you, you know? Anyway, I’m on my last horizontal track and feeling like my replacement is imminent. It’s been a good life though, and I feel I was a reliable source of convenience and security for this household.

Hey folks, when it’s time to replace your garage door, call 215-795-2500 or contact Steich Overhead Doors.  We’ve been in business for over 30 years and have the best service record in northeastern PA.