A garage door spring is the part that carries the weight of the door, and it is the most common failure we are called for. When one breaks the door usually will not open at all, and forcing it burns out the opener.
These are the signs it is going, what the repair involves and what changes the price.
The signs, in the order they appear
- A loud bang from the garage. That is usually the spring letting go, often with no warning at all.
- The door feels heavy. Disconnect the opener and lift it halfway by hand: a healthy door stays where you leave it. If it drops, the spring has lost tension.
- A visible gap in the coil on a torsion spring. Once the coil separates, the spring is done.
- The door opens a few inches and stops, or the opener strains and reverses.
- A crooked door: one side lags behind the other, which points to one spring of a pair having failed.
- Cable hanging loose at the drum. Stop using the door: that is a snap risk, not a noise.
Torsion or extension
Torsion springs sit on a shaft above the door and twist; extension springs run along the horizontal tracks. Torsion is the modern standard and lasts longer. Extension springs should always have a safety cable running through them, and on older Miami homes it is common to find they never had one.
Why they are replaced in pairs
Springs on the same door have cycled the same number of times. If one has failed, the other is at the end of its life, and replacing only the broken one means a second visit within weeks. The pair is also what keeps the door balanced: one new spring next to a tired one lifts the door unevenly.
How long a spring lasts
Typically seven to ten years on a household door, and the number that matters is cycles, not years: a door used ten times a day wears out in half the time of one used twice. Doors on 55-plus communities and homes used as the main entrance sit at the high end of that range.
Why this is not a DIY job
A torsion spring holds the full weight of the door under tension. Winding one with the wrong bars, or releasing it without controlling the shaft, is how people lose fingers. It is the one repair on a garage door we would never talk a homeowner through.
What the visit includes
We identify the spring type and wire size, check the cables, drums and bearings while the tension is off, replace the pair, rebalance the door and test both safety reversals before we leave. If the cables are frayed, they are replaced in the same visit: a new spring on a worn cable just moves the failure.
What changes the price
Spring type and wire gauge, the weight of the door, whether the cables and drums need replacing, and access. That is why we quote after seeing the door and not over the phone. The estimate is free.
All American Doors repairs and installs garage doors across Miami-Dade and Broward, with same-day service and a 100% workmanship guarantee. Palm Beach and the Florida Keys are scheduled by route. Free estimates: (305) 885-8088.
For the routine that prevents this, see garage door maintenance. For the repair itself, garage door repair.
Frequently asked questions
Can I use my garage door with a broken spring?
No. The opener is not designed to lift the weight of the door on its own, and forcing it will damage the motor or the door. Keep the door closed and call.
Do both springs have to be replaced?
Yes, as a rule. They have cycled the same number of times, and a new spring next to a tired one leaves the door unbalanced.
How quickly can you come out?
Same-day in Miami-Dade and Broward, subject to the day’s route. Palm Beach and the Florida Keys are scheduled. Call (305) 885-8088.
Will my insurance cover a broken spring?
Normally not: a worn part failing is maintenance, not a sudden event, and most homeowner policies exclude it. Check your policy if the failure caused other damage.