What Lifts Your Garage Door?

What Lifts Your Garage Door – The Springs or the Motor?

Many homeowners assume that the garage door opener — the motorized device mounted on the ceiling — is responsible for lifting and lowering the garage door. It makes sense at first glance: you press a button, and the door moves. But in reality, the true workhorse behind the motion of your garage door is not the motor — it’s the springs.

Garage doors are heavy. A standard residential garage door can weigh anywhere between 150 to 300 pounds, sometimes more depending on the material and size. Lifting that amount of weight manually would be a serious challenge without mechanical assistance. This is where the spring system comes into play.

The springs – whether torsion or extension – are specifically designed to counterbalance the weight of the door. When properly calibrated, the springs reduce the effective weight of the door to just a few pounds, making it easy to lift either manually or with the assistance of an opener. In fact, if your springs are in good condition, you should be able to lift the door by hand with minimal effort.

The motor’s role is often misunderstood. The garage door opener does not actually lift the full weight of the door. Instead, it acts more like a guide, controlling the movement of the door along its track. It relies on the springs to handle the heavy lifting. Without the springs functioning properly, the motor cannot do its job — and attempting to use it in that condition can lead to serious damage. If the springs break, the opener may strain, fail to lift the door, or worse, burn out or break internal parts.

In short, the springs are the primary lifting mechanism. The motor is just an assistant – a convenient device to automate the process. If your garage door isn’t opening properly or seems heavier than usual, the issue likely lies with the springs, not the opener. Always address spring problems immediately, and never try to force the opener to work against a failed spring. Doing so can result in costly repairs or unsafe conditions.

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