Tension a Sagging Garage Door Spring for Proper Operation

Over time, the heavy-duty springs that help your garage door open and close can lose some of their tension. This is a common issue faced by many homeowners. Slack springs make the door harder to open and close manually, and may cause it to move unevenly on its tracks. While it’s best left to professionals like Garage Door Spring Repair in Petersburg, here are the basic steps if you want to tension the springs yourself.

Assess the Problem

First check that one or both torsion springs in the header are indeed sagging lower than normal. With the door open about halfway, the springs should form a gentle arc from the header to the shaft. If they are noticeably droopy, they likely need tensioning. Avoid this repair if springs appear damaged, stretched, or frayed.

Prepare Safely

Garage doors are heavy, and torsion springs store a dangerous amount of potential energy. Take proper precautions before starting. Use eye and hand protection in case anything slips. Block the door from moving up or down for safety. Read all warnings in your owner’s manual too.

Tension One Spring at a Time

For a smooth, evenly balanced door, work on one spring at a time. Mark the current position of the winding cone (where spring is wound onto shaft). Locate the holes inside to insert a bar or pole. With one end in a winding cone, brace the other end securely against the header or wall.

Turn the Winding Cone

With the tool anchored, turn the winding cone clockwise about one full turn to take up slack in the spring. Check that spring forms a gentle arc again. Repeat with other spring if needed. Too much tension could damage springs or cause door to bind, so go slowly and test the door’s movement frequently.

Adjust and Test

Once both springs are tensioned, check that each winding cone is still aligned with your alignment marks. Grab the bottom of the door firmly and lift it up and down to test for smoothness. Add or remove a half turn to each spring as needed until door operates effortlessly throughout its full travel.

Secure Winding Cones

With springs adjusted properly, fasten the winding cones in place so they don’t move out of alignment. Insert a bolt, welded pin or other locking device through the winding cone and shaft. Recheck operation once more before closing everything up.

Re-tensioning a sagging torsion garage door spring should restore optimal balance and operation. But for safety and accurate results, consider calling professionals like “Garage Door Spring Repair in Petersburg” next time springs need adjusting. An inspection can also catch any other issues developing in your system.

Donna

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