How are garage door springs kept under control?

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I understand the basics of how a garage door works – the opener motor is assisted by the spring’s stored energy, otherwise the door would require a *much* larger motor to lift it.

But, some of these springs really look monstrous, and I’m wondering – how is their stored energy controlled? How do we ensure the spring releases just enough energy to assist the motor, and doesn’t just launch the door into orbit?

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8 Answers

Anonymous 0 Comments

The springs are tightened just enough that their tension overcomes the weight of the door. The door should stop at around 2ft from the floor with the motor disconnected, if I recall. The spring tension is held by setscrews on the shaft above the door.

We replaced our old wooden door with a newer fiberglass one and had to adjust the spring tension since the new door was lighter.

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