Garage door springs do the heavy lifting — literally. They counterbalance the full weight of the door so the opener only has to guide it. When a spring breaks, the door becomes dead weight (often 150+ pounds) and the opener can't move it. Broken torsion springs are the single most common garage door failure, and the number one reason for emergency calls.
Signs your spring is broken or failing
- A loud bang from the garage, like a firecracker — the classic sound of a spring snapping.
- The door won't open, or only opens a few inches and stops.
- The door feels extremely heavy when lifted manually.
- A visible gap in the torsion spring coil above the door.
- The opener strains, hums, or its motor runs without moving the door.
- Cables look loose or have come off the drums.
See our full guide: 7 warning signs of a broken garage door spring.
Torsion vs. extension springs
Most modern doors use torsion springs — one or two tightly wound coils mounted on a shaft above the door opening. Older or lighter doors may use extension springs that stretch along the horizontal tracks. A professional will match the replacement spring to your door's exact weight and size; the wrong spring causes poor balance, opener strain, and premature failure.
What replacement involves
The technician disconnects the opener, secures the door, carefully unwinds and removes the broken spring, installs the correctly rated replacement, winds it to the proper tension, then tests balance and safety systems. Most replacements take one to two hours. Many pros recommend replacing both springs at once on a two-spring system, since the second is usually near the end of its life too.
How long do springs last?
Standard springs are rated for about 10,000 cycles (one open + close = one cycle) — roughly 7 to 10 years of normal use. Heavy doors, cold climates, and frequent cycling shorten spring life. If your springs are approaching that age, a tune-up can catch weakening springs before they fail at the worst moment.
Related services
- General garage door repair
- Cable repair — cables and springs often fail together
- Maintenance and tune-up
Spring replacement in your metro
- Dallas-Fort Worth garage door services
- Houston garage door services
- Atlanta garage door services
- Denver garage door services
- Charlotte garage door services
- Columbus garage door services
Why pros often replace both springs
On a two-spring door, both springs have endured the same number of cycles. When one snaps, the other is usually close behind — and a second service call a few months later costs nearly as much as doing both at once. Replacing the pair together restores balanced tension, evens out wear going forward, and means one appointment instead of two. Also ask about cycle ratings: standard 10,000-cycle springs suit most homes, while high-cycle 20,000+ options make sense for heavy-use doors. Your contractor can confirm your setup and advise.