Should I Have One or Two Torsion Springs on My Garage Door?
In the days of yore (that would be the late 20th century) you had two choices when it came to garage door springs on Littleton or Broomfield homes: either two extension springs or a single large torsion spring. Now, with extension springs, it made sense that you would have to use two. That's because they run parallel to the tracks that extend back from the door. If you only had one, the door would be lifted unevenly. In short, order that uneven pressure would create all kinds of problems. But because the torsion spring sits on the wall above the center of the door and runs parallel to the door, you really only need one. And, until recently, that's all you got. These days, however, it's becoming common for doors to have two torsion springs. In this post, we'll examine why that is and whether it's something you want to do.
What Are Torsion Springs?
Torsion springs are tightly wound coils of metal that sit horizontally above the garage door opening. They store mechanical energy when the door is closed and release that energy as torque to help lift the door when it opens. The spring’s torque is transferred through a shaft to cable drums at each end, which wind and unwind the cables attached to the bottom of the door. Torsion springs are known for providing smooth, controlled lifting motion and are considered more durable and reliable than older extension spring systems.
Extension springs • These tightly wound coils store mechanical energy by twisting, helping lift and lower heavy doors with smooth, controlled motion. They're mounted horizontally above the door in many modern systems, and rotate a shaft to distribute force evenly.
Torsion Springs vs. Extension Springs
While torsion springs are now the preferred option, it’s worth understanding how they compare to the older extension spring systems. Extension springs expand and contract along horizontal tracks, whereas torsion springs rotate to lift the door. Both accomplish the same task, but the method and results vary considerably.
The table below outlines several of the key differences between torsion and extension springs:
| Aspect | Torsion Springs | Extension Springs |
|---|---|---|
| Mounting Location | Above garage door opening | Along horizontal tracks |
| Mechanism | Twists to lift door | Stretches to lift door |
| Durability | Longer lifespan, 15,000+ cycles | Shorter lifespan, ~10,000 cycles |
| Safety | Generally safer with less recoil risk | Higher risk if spring snaps |
| Smooth Operation | More controlled and quiet | More jarring and noisy |
| Cost | Higher upfront cost | Lower upfront cost |
While both systems can be effective, torsion springs offer better performance, longer lifespan, and a safer experience overall. For that reason, most modern garage doors are now equipped with torsion springs by default.
Single vs. Dual Torsion Springs: How They Compare
People who’ve owned their home for some time are often curious these days why they now have the option of having two torsion springs on their new garage door instead of one (as was the case in the past). What changed? Is it all some type of elaborate game being played by torsion spring manufacturers to sell more springs? Was your garage door service in Northglenn simply not telling you before that you could have had two torsion springs? Are aliens involved somehow?
We'll have to get back to you on the alien angle, but we can assure you there was/is nothing nefarious going on with garage door services or spring manufacturers. The reasons that garage door makers now offer dual torsion springs actually make a lot of sense once you consider them. Those reasons are thus:
- Safety – This is probably the biggest reason why garage door makers started offering two torsion spring setups. Think about it: if one of your two extension springs snaps (as garage door springs are prone to do when they get older) the other spring has always been there to stop the door from smashing to the ground and hurting someone. With a single torsion spring, however, there's nothing to stop the door from hurtling downward should the spring snap. More than a few people have been hurt in such circumstances. Now, with two torsion springs, should one of them break the other is there to keep the door up and prevent injury or damage to your car or other property.
- Efficiency – You've no doubt heard the saying "many hands make light to work." And even if you haven't heard it before you have now and it's absolutely true. The same rules that apply to hands apply to garage door springs in Broomfield, or anywhere else for that matter. It's simply easier to lift a garage door – which routinely weighs several hundred pounds – with two springs than it is with one. And you don't need to work for a garage door service in Broomfield to figure that out.
- Longevity – By distributing the weight of the garage door between two torsion springs instead of the traditional single spring, they not only have an easier time lifting the door, but those springs will last longer too. That means fewer repair calls to the overhead door company. Also, fewer replacement calls and longer overall life for those springs, compared to what was expected from their predecessors of just a decade or two ago.
- Less wear and tear – Reducing the workload of the torsion springs certainly helps them last longer and require less maintenance. But they are not the only component of the garage door mechanism that benefits from having two springs instead of one. With two springs handling the lifting, the garage door motor doesn't have to work as hard either. Although the springs always do the bulk of the lifting the motor pitches in as well. With two torsion springs involved, the already modest amount of weight the motor would have to help out with is reduced even further. Thus producing less wear and tear on the entire motor mechanism.
- Savings – Fewer calls to the garage door service in Parker mean savings for you. Fewer maintenance calls by the garage door service mean savings for you. Fewer broken springs mean savings for you. Less wear and tear on the other components of the door mean – you guessed it – savings for you because of less servicing and replacing of those components. And you know what else saves you a bundle? Not having to replace the entire door because it came crashing to the ground because the one and only torsion spring broke.
Here’s a quick comparison of single vs. dual torsion spring systems to help summarize the differences noted above:
| Feature | Single Torsion Spring | Dual Torsion Springs |
|---|---|---|
| Safety | Less safe; door may fall if spring breaks | Improved safety; one spring holds door if the other fails |
| Weight Distribution | All load handled by one spring | Load evenly shared between two springs |
| Spring Lifespan | Shorter due to greater strain | Longer thanks to reduced workload |
| Motor Stress | Higher; motor assists more with lifting | Lower; motor works less overall |
| Cost Over Time | Higher maintenance and repair costs | Lower due to fewer service calls |
Though dual torsion springs may cost a bit more upfront, they deliver increased reliability and long-term savings. For most homeowners, the extra investment is worth it.
The Bottom Line
As the most trusted garage door service in Broomfield and Northglenn, we get asked all the time about garage door springs for Broomfield homes. When it comes to those homeowners who opt for torsion springs, we always recommend they go with the dual spring setup these days. And while it will result in fewer maintenance and service calls for us, our primary concern is that you, the homeowner, enjoy the highest possible level of service from the garage door itself.
If you have any questions about garage door springs or you need to schedule garage door maintenance or a new garage door installation, give A Better Garage Door a call today. We’re one of the top garage door companies in Colorado because we always put the needs of the client first.