Question about garage doors:

They make garage doors that use counterweights instead of springs. Does anyone have any ideas as to why they are not more widely used? In fact I could probably convert a spring powered garage door to a counterweight if I took the time.

Reply to
recyclebinned
Loading thread data ...

recyclebinned wrote on Tue, 04 Dec 2012 10:43:00 -0800:

Ignoring the fact the spring acts like a counterweight, what is the advantage you're looking for in the counterweight doors?

And, how would these counterweights work? For example, do these counterweights move up and down contrary to the door?

Reply to
Jim Jones

=93Ignoring the fact the spring acts like a counterweight, what is the=20 advantage you're looking for in the counterweight doors?=94

You never have to replace a spring. You may have to replace a cable that holds the weight but=20 that=92s much easier and faster to do than replacing a spring.

And, how would these counterweights work? For example, do these=20 counterweights move up and down contrary to the door?

Yes. I could give links here to some companies=20 but that would be like advertising=20 But you could just Google =91counterweight garage door=92=20 on Google images.=20

Reply to
recyclebinned

How do they work?

Reply to
Robert Shapiro

formatting link
formatting link
What is a Counterweight Garage Door?

A counterweight garage door is a great choice for your home and garage. There are many advantage and benefits, but just in case you've never seen one of our excellent doors, here's what a counterweight door is:

One Piece - Single frame construction, clad in almost any material, Not a roller door or sectional door.

Tilt Door - The counterweight garage door lifts up in a tilting motion.

Weight Balanced Lifting Mechanisms - The weight of the door is balanced with a counterweight on the side of the door's opening

No Tracks Required - there are no tracks on the ceiling or walls of your garage.

Simple Mechanism - The remote control mechanism sits on one side of the garage door opening

Maintenance Free - Each Remotadoor garage door's mechanism is engineered and made to precision so that everything is in balance. No springs to stretch, no fiddly parts or guides. No Size or Weight Limits - We've done doors over 9 metres in length and seen them clad with all types of materials, from timber and ply to various sheet metal. Our qualified engineers ensure that your Remotadoor is perfectly balanced and operates with ease. Great For Tight Spaces - Unlike many other garage doors on the market today a Remotadoor counterweight garage door can be made to fit with very little space around the door.

Reply to
Carl Bosworth

formatting link

Reply to
Allen Lingstrom

springs wear out and break.

Reply to
chaniarts

Just like old window weights worked...and the same problem that made them go the way of the dodo--they've got to have somewhere to travel. In a window it was easy enough to build in a cavity of only half the height of the window (even though it left the uninsulated space). In a garage w/ the length of travel it's more of a logistics problem...doable, but kinda' a pita sorta' thing...

Reply to
dpb

Why would you want to? While it's workable it's a lot more klunky of a system than the spring. I do favor the extension springs over the torsion ones, however, as being simpler to deal with.

Reply to
dpb

Or people do stupid things with them and get killed:

formatting link

Reply to
Erin Fox

I would bet if you look at the counterweight doors they cost significantly more than the spring type. Also, from the couple of diagrams I've seen, the weights wind up near the entrance, on either side. Who wants that when the spring type use room that doesn't intrude?

Reply to
trader4

Can you imagine the weights falling? Oh, the children! At least torsion springs are fairly innocuous when they let loose.

BTW, just how is winding up a weight easier than a spring? The energy stored is necessarily the same.

Reply to
krw

ec 2012 10:43:00 -0800:

dpb-

Great analogy... I was thinking elevator but sash & sash weights are a much better example.

cheers Bob

Reply to
DD_BobK

The weights have or can have a housing over them so that nobody can acciden= tally come in contact with them and also the weights consist of several bar= s that are individually easy to lift as opposed to winding or pulling a spr= ing.

Reply to
recyclebinned

As the garage door goes up, the spring tension lessons to almost zero.

Do weights differentially get lighter to accomplish the same task?

Reply to
H. H. B.

Yes but I haven't seen them for years. Concrete most of them Counterweights take up more space than springs. More expensive and awkward to transport too I should think.

Reply to
harry

Not if you make this free counterweight! :)

formatting link

Reply to
H. H. B.

I noticed on their examples it looked like they were all designed for very high ceiling garages.

Reply to
Ashton Crusher

entally come in contact with them and also the weights consist of several b= ars that are individually easy to lift as opposed to winding or pulling a s= pring.- Hide quoted text -

Now for a typical home garage door, compare what it takes to do the above with what it takes to install the spring type. The spring system sure seems easier to install and less expensive to me. Then factor in that at the end of the garage, right by the door, you're going to have some long vertical enclosure with weights. In my house, on one garage door that's close to a corner, I have an outside door and a light switch. Kiss that goodbye with the weights. Even if I didn't have that there, I'd rather use that area for leaning up rakes, brooms, etc instead of wasted space. And then you have those vertical weights taking up space on both sides of the garage door. The springs of either type don't take up any space that is usable, aren't in the way, etc.

Bottom line, I see lots of drawbacks and no compelling advantage. In 50 years I've had one spring break and it was easy to fix.

Reply to
trader4

Springs break about once every 10,000 cycles but replacing them is simple. Torsion springs cost about $30 each and ordering them is simple. Spring winding bars cost about $10 and last a lifetime. Replacement of a torsion spring takes a half hour and is very easy. The only ones who warn against diy are those who have never done it.

How often do counterweights need maintenance?

Reply to
H. H. B.

HomeOwnersHub website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.