Garage Door Torsion Spring FAQs

• Broken garage door springs are a very common occurrence. They simply wear out and break from metal fatigue. The most common symptom of a broken garage door spring is that when you activate the garage door opener to open the door it either doesn’t open at all or goes up slightly and stops. Some makes and models of garage door openers will open the door even if the spring is broken however you may notice the unit is moving slower than normal and seems to be struggling. Springs act as the counterbalance to offset the weight of the garage door, without them you couldn’t lift the door. Picture 1 below shows what a broken torsion spring looks like. Torsion springs are normally located on the wall right above the garage door and can be seen when the door is closed. Doublewide 2 car garage doors (1 large door) usually utilize 1 or more torsion springs. One car garage doors often have extension type springs shown in picture 2 although torsion springs are becoming more common esp. with Carriage Style garage doors.
• Continuing to use your garage door with a broken spring can cause serious damage to both your door and your garage door opener and is Very Dangerous!

• • What do I need to know? If your garage door has more than 1 spring it is wise to replace them both. Since they break from wear and both springs are the same age, it will save you time, money and aggravation to replace them both at the same time.Garage Door springs are rated in Life Cycles, usually your door was supplied with 10,000 cycle springs from the Mfg. This seems like a lot, however, if you open your door 5 times per day x 365 days=1825 cycles. 10,000 cycles divided by 1825 = 5.48 years till your next spring change.If you are experiencing a broken spring every couple of years we can supply higher cycle springs for your garage door.
  • Are garage door springs 1 size fits all? No they are not. Now more than ever with all the different sizes and types of garage doors and carriage style garage doors it’s important to make sure your garage door company supplies and installs the proper springs for your door. Garage door springs vary in inside diameter, wire size and length.
  • A reputable company will always show you that your door works well manually without the garage door opener.
  • Honest, Reputable Companies will only warranty your springs for 1 or 2 years at the most. Please note that all Spring Manufacturers only warranty their springs for 90 days. Beware of any company offering 10-year or lifetime warranties, the warranty is only good if they are still in business. Furthermore you will generally find that the warranty is for parts only and should a spring break during the warranty period you can expect to pay in labor what you originally paid for the whole job.
  • Beware of companies that won’t quote you a price range to change your springs and beware of hidden fees.

  • How much should I expect to pay for the replacement of my torsion springs?

    Prices vary across the country, but on average a garage door with 1 torsion spring should be $309.00-369.00 and a door with 2 torsion springs should average $379-499. These prices should include travel or trip charge, labor, and parts.

  • How much should I expect to pay for the replacement of my extension springs?

    Extension springs are normally only found on 8-9’ wide garage doors and on average will be $250-300 for both springs, travel or trip charge, and labor. Habpro Garage Doors provides award winning service in the following areas.

  Garage Door Torsion Spring Advanced FAQs

  • Many companies pay their technicians as much as half of your repair bill which means the more they charge you the more they make. This is a great incentive for hidden costs and additional charges for parts that are still good and don’t need to be replaced.
  • If a technician can show that your cables are frayed replace them. A frayed cable is dangerous and can cause serious damage or injury. A reasonable cost for parts and labor if they are already at your home is $40-60 in addition to your spring change charges.
  • If a bottom bracket is torn or rusted replace it. The cable is attached here and failure of this bracket can cause serious damage or injury. A reasonable cost for parts and labor if they are already at your home is $40-75 in addition to your spring change charges.
  • Garage door rollers are a common wear item and it’s not unusual that they need to be replaced especially if they are Black Nylon or 7 Ball Bearing steel rollers. The black Nylon rollers don’t have bearings and since they support all the weight of your garage door they wear out pretty quickly. Even though their wear may not be as evident as a steel roller they will stop rolling smoothly and freely which causes your door and opener to work extra hard opening and closing. This high resistance can be felt when you manually open the door and can cause damage to the top section and premature failure of your garage door opener. Have your technician work the door manually and show you they need to be replaced before you agree to do so. A reasonable cost for parts and labor if they are already at your home is an additional $90-140 depending on the type and number of rollers installed. The White 11 Bearing Rollers are best and operate smoothly and are very quiet.
  • Cable drums virtually never wear out and are supposed to have grooves on them. If your technician suggests replacing your cable drums beware. If they aren’t cracked, broken or the set screws stripped, they don’t need to be replaced! Cable drums are usually sold in pairs and a reasonable cost for parts and labor if they are already at your home is $20-30 each in addition to your spring change charges.
  • Torsion shaft bearings do occasionally wear out and should always be checked. Bearings, if needed, should be replaced and a reasonable cost for parts and labor if they are already at your home is $20-30 each in addition to your spring change charges.