Garage door springs

[mreber]

Hi everyone. My wife and I are in the process of buying a new home, and the garage door needed to be fixed. The bank agreed to do it (it's a foreclosure), but I'm not sure if it's really "fixed". The automatic opener does open the door, but it does so very slowly. I noticed that there are absolutely no springs assisting the garage door. I'm no garage door expert, but I thought all garage doors would be spring assisted. Do they make garage doors that aren't spring assisted? Can you rely on just the strength of the opener motor to lift the door time and time again? That seems like a lot of work on the motor. Any thoughts would be appreciated. Thanks.

Matt

[HayZee518]

look above the door for a circular spring on a long metal shaft with two cables

[mreber]

Again, I don't remember seeing any springs at all. I looked for the torsion type above the door and the extension type that run along the tracks. Didn't see anything. I did notice two springs (I believe the extension type) sitting on a table in the garage...almost like someone forgot to install them...

[HayZee518]

those could be them. a cable runs from each side of the door, around a pulley to one extended side of a spring back around another pulley and fastens at the rear of the track. ryan would know more bout it.

[pushkins]

Wayne Dalton also makes a door that the springs are torsion but inside the tube across the door, the adjustment is by a hex head sticking out on either end, with a dial on very end for torsion settings. The springs in them look similar to standard over the track springs.
My personal fav. for a panel door.

[DixieDoor]

springs

Those extension springs are needed or someone just installed a Wayne Dalton door like the other reply mentioned and you can't see the spring inside the tube. This is possible, but, I don't think this is the case as these springs should not have been left but disposed of with the rest of the old door.

A garage door opener is only designed to open or close a properly balanced garage door. To know for sure if the garage door has a spring problem, with the door in the closed position, pull the RED handle located on the opener rail which is the manual disconnect. This disconnects the motor from the door. Try and lift the garage door by hand, if it is not fairly easy and also stops and stays at any position you leave it at, then there is a problem with the springs. It may move a little after letting go, not a problem, but if it is very heavy, at least one spring is broken or in your case, may be missing. Continuing to operate the door under the openers power only is doing to eventually cause damage near the connection point of the operator arm and the top section, sooner than later. And it will be expensive to fix/replace items at that point.

There are many websites explaining how to install those extension springs, be careful, please. I show up at people's houses after they have attempted and many times there has been a blood trail back inside the house. You many want to consider having a professional do this and you can go back to your normal life, with all your fingers intact. Once installed and properly balanced by a professional, these will work for many years. In other words, the risk is high for something you will never think of again if done correctly by a pro. Just be careful!