Torsion Conversion and Dual Springs: A Recent Job in Kirkwood / Oakhurst
Not every garage door is set up the way it should be. On a recent job in the Kirkwood/Oakhurst area of Atlanta, we came across a door that had been operating without proper spring support — and converting it to a correctly balanced dual-spring torsion system made a night-and-day difference for the homeowner.
Here is what that job involved, and why the right spring setup matters more than most people realize.
What Garage Door Springs Actually Do
Your garage door is the heaviest moving object in your home — most residential doors weigh between 150 and 300 pounds. The springs are what counterbalance that weight. When the spring system is set up correctly, the door feels almost weightless; you could lift it with one hand, and the opener barely works to move it.
When a door lacks proper spring support, all of that weight has to be carried by something that was never designed to handle it — usually the opener, the cables, and the hardware. The result is a door that is hard to lift manually, an opener that strains and wears out early, and a system that is unsafe to operate.
Torsion Springs vs. Extension Springs
There are two main types of garage door spring systems.
Extension springs run along the horizontal tracks on either side of the door and stretch as the door closes. They are common on older and lighter doors.
Torsion springs mount on a metal shaft, called a torsion tube, above the garage door opening. As the door operates, the springs wind and unwind around the tube, providing smooth, controlled, balanced lifting force.
Torsion systems are generally considered the better setup for most doors. They last longer, operate more smoothly, provide better balance, and are safer because the springs are contained on the shaft rather than stretched along the tracks. For heavier doors in particular, a torsion system is the right choice.
Why We Converted This Door to Dual Springs
The door on this Kirkwood/Oakhurst job did not have adequate spring support for its weight. Our solution was to convert it to a proper torsion setup with two springs rather than one.
A dual-spring torsion system offers real advantages. It distributes the load across two springs instead of one, which reduces strain on each individual spring and extends the life of the system. It also provides a critical safety margin: if one spring breaks, the second spring can still support much of the door's weight, preventing the door from crashing down suddenly. And with two springs matched to the exact weight of the door, the balance is more precise, which means quieter operation and far less wear on the opener.
For a door of any real weight, dual springs are simply the more reliable, safer, and longer-lasting configuration.
Photos From This Kirkwood / Oakhurst Torsion Conversion
The Result
Once the torsion tube was in place and the two new springs were wound to the correct tension for the door's weight, the difference was immediate. The door became properly balanced, opened and closed smoothly, and no longer forced the opener to carry a load it was never built for. The homeowner was very happy with the outcome — and now has a garage door system that is safer and built to last.
A Note on Safety
Torsion spring work is not a DIY project. The springs hold an enormous amount of tension, and winding or unwinding them without the right tools and training can cause serious injury. Spring conversions in particular require correctly calculating the door's weight, selecting the right springs, and winding them to precise specifications. This is work for a trained, insured technician.
Schedule a Free Inspection with Top Dog Garage Doors
Top Dog Garage Doors provides torsion conversions, spring replacement, and full garage door service for homeowners throughout Atlanta including Kirkwood, Oakhurst, Decatur, Brookhaven, Buckhead, Sandy Springs, Dunwoody, and Marietta. Our technicians are licensed, insured, and background-checked.
If your garage door feels heavy, strains the opener, or you are not sure whether your spring system is set up correctly for your door, contact us for a free inspection.
Top Dog Garage Doors | Atlanta, GA | 404-594-5444 | topdoggaragedoorsga.com