I have a pretty heavy wooden garage door from Wayne Dalton, it's 16x7 and was installed way back in 1987. It's connected to a 1/2 hp Craftsman chain drive with two overhead torsion springs. Even though I've read that garage doors should be easy to lift regardless of their weight, mine is really tough to raise manually. I thought maybe the springs were worn out, so I called a tech to replace them, but now the door is just as difficult to open as before. The technician told me that this is normal for large, heavy wooden doors and that if he made it too easy to lift, it could cause the door to "snap up" too quickly, potentially damaging the opener. This has left me frustrated, as I was hoping a replacement would make lifting the door effortless. Is this all true, or am I being misled?
3 Answers
Honestly, if your door is super heavy and they’re using torsion springs, they might just be too small for the weight. I’d suggest reaching out to another door company for a second opinion. You shouldn’t have to struggle that much!
Have you checked the rollers and hinges? Sometimes they can bind and make lifting harder than it should be. It might be worth a closer look at those parts.
I use tension springs with my heavy wooden door, and they’ve worked great for me. They might be a safer alternative to consider if you’re having issues with those torsion springs.
That sounds interesting! I might have to look into that option for my own door.
Yeah, definitely look into them. Even minor issues can make a big difference. A tech should be able to help with that.