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For homeowners

Types of garage door spring: which one fits your garage?

Where headroom is tight: Extension spring suits openings with 10" of headroom above the door, the amount Clopay requires for extension springs. The right choice depends on the headroom above the door opening, whether a torsion spring is wound with solid steel winding bars or with a power drill, and whether each extension spring has a containment cable.

How we know: By InstaBids editorial team with AI research agents. · Sources read: 22 October 2026 · Updated 27 October 2026

For every spring type, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (2011) says a door that is not balanced, or that binds or sticks, "should be serviced by a professional." The spring facts in this table come from one door maker's instructions (Clopay); other makers' spring systems may differ.
TypeBest forMain advantagesMain drawbacks
Standard torsion springno official source names oneno official source names oneneeds 12" of headroom above the door (Clopay); Clopay (2014): wound and adjusted with solid steel winding bars; Clopay (2024): "DO NOT attempt to remove door or springs yourself"; Clopay (2014): can be very dangerous if improperly installed or mishandled
Drill-wound torsion spring (Clopay EZ-SET)no official source names onetension is set with a power drill (Clopay)needs 12" of headroom above the door (Clopay); Clopay (2025): wait at least five minutes between consecutive winds or unwinds; Clopay (2025): not following the instructions may cause "the rapid release of spring energy or personal injury"
Extension springopenings with 10" of headroom above the door, the amount Clopay requires for extension springsno official source names oneClopay (2014): must never run without a properly installed spring containment cable; Clopay: when old extension springs break, "the springs and cables become heavy whips"; Clopay (2014): under extreme tension and potentially dangerous when the door is closed

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What garage door spring replacement job do you need done in your home? Describe it once to start your written scope.

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  • MCP connector URLhttps://instabids.ai/api/agent/mcp
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  • Start-request linkhttps://instabids.ai/intake?from=options-garage-door-spring&utm_source=us&utm_medium=page&utm_campaign=options&page_type=options#job=garage%20door%20spring%20replacement
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If your priority is...
PriorityChoose
an opening with 10" of headroom above the door (Clopay)Extension spring
setting torsion spring tension with a power drill (Clopay)Drill-wound torsion spring (Clopay EZ-SET)

Something already failing? See Garage door repair or replace: which fits your door?

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