Home / Residential / Springs
Broken spring replacement
The most common call we get. If the door will not lift, or it slammed down and you heard a bang like a gunshot from the garage, it is almost always the spring.
Do not try to
force it open
The spring carries the weight of the door, not the opener. A double door weighs between 150 and 400 pounds, and once the spring is broken the only thing holding that weight is a motor designed to guide it, not lift it.
Running the opener anyway strips the gears, bends the top section, or drops the door. If a car is inside and you have to get it out, pull the red release cord and lift with someone helping you — then leave it down until it is fixed.
Torsion springs are wound under extreme tension and are replaced with winding bars. This is the one repair on a garage door that genuinely injures people who attempt it themselves.
Broken today?
Call and describe what you heard. Most spring jobs are finished in a single visit because we carry the common sizes on the truck.
| Spring | 4 cycles/day | 6 cycles/day |
|---|---|---|
| 10,000 — builder grade | About 7 years | About 4.5 years |
| 25,000 — what we fit | About 17 years | About 11 years |
Torsion and
extension
Torsion springs mount on a bar above the door opening and wind as the door closes. They are balanced, quieter, safer when they fail, and last longer. This is what most doors should have.
Extension springs run along the horizontal tracks on either side and stretch as the door lowers. They are older and cheaper, and when one breaks it can travel. If yours are extension springs and you have the headroom above the opening, we can convert you to torsion while we are there.
Most residential spring replacements run $250–$475 installed. You get the number before we start.
The 25,000 cycle upgrade
A cycle is one open and one close. Builder-grade springs are rated 10,000. We fit 25,000 cycle torsion springs on replacement — same visit, same labor.
Common questions
How much does a broken garage door spring cost to fix?
Most residential spring replacements in the Bensalem area run between $250 and $475 installed, depending on whether the door uses one spring or two and which cycle rating you choose. The estimate is free and you get the price before work starts.
Can I open my garage door if the spring is broken?
You should not run the opener. The spring carries the weight of the door, and without it the opener is the only thing holding 150 to 400 pounds. If you must get a car out, pull the red release cord and lift with a second person, then leave the door down.
Should both springs be replaced if only one broke?
On a two-spring door, yes. Both springs have the same cycle count on them, so the second is usually close behind. Replacing both at once costs less than two separate service calls.
How long does a spring replacement take?
Most jobs are under an hour once we are on site, and we carry common sizes on the truck so the majority finish in a single visit.
Why did my spring break in winter?
Steel loses ductility as it gets colder and the door is heaviest when everything is contracted. A spring already near the end of its cycle count very often gives out on the first hard cold morning.
Get it fixed
Call and tell us what happened. Most spring calls are handled the same day.
1035 Neshaminy Valley Drive
Bensalem, PA 19020
sales@diegidiodoors.com