Broken Spring on Your Garage Door? Here's What to Do

A broken garage door spring can leave you stuck, unable to get your car in or out. Here's how to tell if a spring has broken and what to do next.

What Garage Door Springs Do

The springs counterbalance the door's weight so it can be lifted easily by the opener or by hand. That's why, when everything is working, you can open the door by hand in a power outage. Without the springs, the door is extremely heavy and can drop suddenly.

Torsion vs Extension Springs

• Torsion springs: heavy coils on a metal bar mounted on the wall just above the closed door.
• Extension springs: long springs along each side, above the horizontal tracks, that stretch as the door closes. They're more common on older and lighter single doors.

Why Springs Break

Every opening and closing wears the steel a little. A standard spring is rated for about 10,000 cycles. Rust also weakens springs, especially if they're never lubricated.

Signs of a Broken Spring

• A loud bang from the garage, often when nobody is using the door
• The door won't open, or rises only a few inches
• The door is very heavy, slow, crooked or jerky
• On a two-spring door, one side looks higher than the other
• A gap of a couple of inches in a torsion spring; it should be one continuous coil from cone to cone

What Not to Do

Never pull the red emergency release while the door is open if a spring may be broken. Without spring support, the door can crash to the ground and hurt someone or damage your car.

• Don't keep pressing the opener button. The opener isn't designed to lift the door's full weight and can strip its gears or burn out.
• Don't try to lift the door by hand. A typical double door weighs 150 to 350 pounds, and without the spring you'd be lifting all of it.
• Don't try to replace the spring yourself. Springs are under extreme tension and can cause serious injury.

Leave the door closed, keep people and pets clear, and call a spring repair technician.

Can a Spring Be Repaired?

No. Once a spring has broken or lost its tension, it has to be replaced. If your door has two springs, replace both: the other has done the same number of cycles and will break soon.

What Does Spring Replacement Cost?

One torsion spring with labour typically costs about $270 to $330, and both springs about $390 to $510, depending on your door's size and weight. New springs carry a 3-year warranty. Save $25 per spring replaced.

How Long Do Springs Last?

About 10,000 cycles, which is roughly 7 to 10 years if you open and close the door three or four times a day. Lubricating the springs a few times a year with a garage door lubricant helps them last.

Choosing a Spring Repair Company

Choose a dependable, insured company with good reviews and a real warranty. GVA Garage Doors repairs, maintains and installs garage doors across the Lower Mainland, with same-day spring replacement and 24/7 emergency service. Call 604.398.4009.

The Bottom Line

Springs do the heavy lifting for your garage door. When one breaks, don't use the door, don't try to fix it yourself, and call a professional.