Why springs break (and why it sounds like a gunshot)
Your springs do the heavy lifting. They counterbalance a door that can weigh 150 to 300 pounds or more, so the opener only has to guide it. A standard torsion spring is rated for roughly 10,000 open-and-close cycles, which is about 7 years for a household that uses the door a few times a day.
When a spring reaches the end of that life, it snaps under full tension, often with a loud bang from the garage. The door then becomes too heavy for the opener to lift, or it may lift a few inches and stop.
Signs of a broken or failing spring
- A loud bang from the garage, then the door won’t open
- A visible gap in the spring coil above the door
- The door feels extremely heavy when lifted by hand
- The door rises a few inches and stops or slams down
- Cables hanging loose beside the door
What a proper spring replacement includes
- Springs sized to your door’s actual weight and height
- Replacing both springs on two-spring doors (they wear at the same rate)
- Door balance test and tension adjustment
- Inspection of cables, drums, and bearings
- Written warranty on parts and labor