Garage door springs are under enormous tension and counterbalance hundreds of pounds every day. Understanding how they work — and how they fail — keeps you safe and saves you money. Our Morristown crew is one call away at (973) 315-8046 whenever you need a hand.
A two-to-three-inch gap in the coil, a door that opens a few inches then stops, an opener that strains or reverses, or a door that feels like dead weight by hand all point to a spring. You don't always hear the bang.
Most modern doors use torsion springs mounted on a shaft above the opening; older or lighter doors use extension springs along the tracks. As the door closes the springs wind and store energy, then release it to lift the door. That stored energy is what makes a heavy door feel light.
Springs are rated in cycles — one up-and-down is a cycle, and a standard spring lasts about 10,000 of them, or 7-10 years for a typical family. Rust from {state} humidity, cold snaps that make steel brittle, poor balance, and undersized springs all shorten that life.
Torsion springs hold tremendous stored energy and the winding bars can become projectiles if they slip — every year emergency rooms see DIY spring injuries. A trained technician has the right winding bars and the correctly sized spring and finishes the job safely in under an hour.
Torsion springs sit on a bar above the door, last longer, and balance the door more smoothly — the modern standard. Extension springs run along the horizontal tracks and should always have a safety cable so broken pieces can't fly. Knowing which you have helps describe the problem.
Can I replace a garage door spring myself?
It is strongly discouraged. The springs are under high tension and can cause serious injury. This is one repair that should always be left to a trained professional.
Why did my spring break in the cold?
Cold makes steel more brittle, so a spring already near the end of its life often snaps on the first freezing morning. It is one of the most common service calls we get each winter.
Whether it's a quick fix or a full replacement, our Morristown team is here to help. Explore our garage door services, read more on the blog, or see the towns we cover on our service area page. Call (973) 315-8046 for a free estimate.
A garage door is the largest moving object in most Morristown homes, and when something goes wrong it rarely fixes itself
Read more →A garage door cycles thousands of times a year, and a little routine care prevents the majority of breakdowns
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