Broken Spring Repair

Broken garage door springs are one of the most common repairs that all garage door repair companies encounter. Most people are under the impression that the garage door opener is the component that opens and closes the garage door, however, it is actually the springs that do the heavy lifting. Consider this, the typical garage door can weigh between 300 and 1000 lbs. In addition, the average American garage door opens and shuts 1500 times a year. Because of that, springs will wear out over time and will eventually need to be replaced.

While most spring manufacturers make springs with a life cycle of 10,000, we at Arrowhead Garage Door & Repair, offer springs rated as high-cycle springs. These springs calculate out to between 25,000 and 65,000 depending on which wire size and length your door needs. We are stocked with many different size springs to ensure we have the right one on-hand when your spring needs replacing.

Garage doors are equipped with either torsion springs (typically located on the wall above the door) or extension springs (on either side of the track attached to pulleys) The purpose of garage door spring systems is to counter balance the door to allow for smooth operation. When springs wear down, the door can become off balance often causing noisy, rough operation. When springs break, your door won’t even open. (A visible inspection of the spring (or springs) is the easiest way to tell if they are broken.)

Springs are under a tremendous amount of tension and can be dangerous to work on. This is why we highly caution against any homeowner from attempting to replace them on their own. Also, if springs are not installed correctly, the repair job can be even more costly than the original fix.

To rate how many cycles your door has gone through, you’ll want to multiple how many times you use it per day by 365 days per year. For example, if you open and close your door 4 times per day and multiple by 365, you’ll have operated it 1,460 times. Now, divide this by the average 10,000 rated springs, and you can expect your spring to last for approximately 6.5 years.

As the most important part of your garage door, springs commonly break or get out-of-balance due to repeated use. Similar to a car, garage doors experience wear-and-tear and need to be re-tightened and maintained every 2-3 years by a trained professional.

The spring acts as a counterbalance for the entire garage door. When it breaks, it can easily fall and cause serious harm. If you know your spring is broken, the door needs to remain shut and unused until a professional replaces the component.

While not immediately dangerous, garage door springs that are out of balance can cause premature wear to your garage opener and other key features. Broken springs can also lead to more maintenance and repairs down the road.