The Leading Signs that You Should Replace Your Garage Door Springs

The garage door springs play a big role in the health and longevity of your garage door. If your springs break or wear down, the garage door won't work properly or won't work at all.

You need to get routine maintenance for your garage door, including your springs, and you need to inspect your springs regularly for signs of damage. If you don't, you could have an accident or an emergency repair bill that you don't want.

The best thing you can do is call a garage door repair professional to regularly inspect and maintain the door. But you should also be alert to these leading signs that it's time to replace your garage door springs so that you don't have an accident:

There's a Broken Spring

More often than not, if your garage door has a broken spring, the door will not open. This can be very frustrating especially if you are trying to get to work!

The first thing to do if your door is not opening is to visually inspect the springs. They are more commonly a black or silver color and are above the garage door opening. If you notice that there is a gap in the spring, that is a clear sign that it has snapped and needs to be replaced immediately.

Do not attempt to operate the door with a broken spring. Forcing the opener to run without functioning springs puts enormous strain on the motor, the cables, and the tracks — and a door under uneven tension can come down suddenly without warning.

📖 Related: Leading Causes and Solutions for Broken Garage Door Springs

Squeaking That Doesn't Stop

You might hear some noises when you operate your garage door normally, but to isolate the noise and determine if your springs are the problem, you'll need to test the door. Pull the red-handled emergency cord, then raise and lower your garage door by hand. Listen if there is any squeaking coming from the springs.

If there is, apply a dedicated silicone-based garage door lubricant to the springs. Avoid WD-40 — it is a solvent, not a lubricant, and will strip existing grease while leaving a residue that attracts dirt. A proper garage door lubricant or white lithium grease will penetrate the coils and provide lasting protection.

DASMA's technical data sheet on factors affecting spring cycle life confirms that proper lubrication is one of the key variables in maximizing spring performance and longevity — and that neglecting it can significantly shorten a spring's expected service life.

After giving the lubricant time to work, raise and lower the door again. If the squeaking continues, there may be a deeper problem with your springs or other components that requires professional inspection.

The Door Doesn't Stay Up

When you are raising and lowering the garage door manually, you need to do another check. Raise the door up and then let it go. The door should be at least several feet off the ground when you release it. The door should stay in place after you let go of the emergency cord. If the door slams to the ground, or even if it falls slowly, you may have a problem with your garage door springs.

A door that won't hold its position is a door with a counterbalance problem — meaning the springs no longer have enough tension to offset the weight of the door. This is both a sign of spring failure and a serious safety hazard.

Talk to a garage door repair service to have the door inspected and find out what, exactly, is causing the problem.

The Springs Are Old

Everything wears down over time, no matter how well you take care of it. Generally, your garage door springs should last about 10,000 cycles, which would be about seven to nine years if you have an average-size family. If you live alone or drive infrequently, your garage door springs can last 15 years or more.

According to Bob Vila's garage door spring replacement cost guide, torsion springs typically last between 10,000 and 20,000 cycles depending on usage and maintenance — and replacing them proactively before they snap costs significantly less than emergency service after a failure.

If your garage door springs are nearing the end of their expected life cycle, you should have a technician inspect them and let you know if it's time for replacement. It will be much cheaper and easier to replace your springs than it will be to repair or replace your garage door.

📖 Related: Do I Need a Garage Door Inspection?

The Door Feels Heavy or Moves Unevenly

A properly balanced garage door should feel nearly weightless when you lift it by hand — that's the springs doing their job. If the door feels unusually heavy, strains noticeably under the opener's motor, or one side rises faster than the other, those are signs that one or both springs are losing tension and nearing the end of their service life.

Uneven movement is particularly telling. When only one spring in a two-spring system is failing, the door can rack — meaning it tilts to one side as it opens or closes. This puts uneven stress on the cables, rollers, and tracks and can cause additional damage if left unaddressed.

📖 Related: 7 Regular Maintenance Tips to Keep Your Garage Door Functioning

Why Spring Replacement Must Be Left to a Professional

Even small garage door components can make a big impact on the health and functionality of your garage door. Don't let these components break down unexpectedly, resulting in huge damages to your house or door or serious injuries to your family.

Torsion springs store an enormous amount of mechanical energy — enough to counterbalance a door weighing 200 pounds or more. When that energy is released suddenly due to an improper repair attempt, the consequences can be severe. Bob Vila strongly advises against DIY spring replacement, noting that using the wrong tools or technique can cause the spring's stored energy to release instantly, resulting in cuts, broken bones, and potentially fatal injuries.

📖 Related: The Dangers of Replacing a Garage Door Spring by Yourself

Garage Door Spring Replacement in Mesa, Chandler, Tempe & Gilbert

Same Day Garage Door Services offers garage door repair service and garage door installation throughout Gilbert, Mesa, Tempe, Chandler, Queen Creek, Ahwatukee, and the entire East Valley. Our technicians are licensed, bonded, and insured, and they are five-star rated on Google, Yelp, Thumbtack, and the Better Business Bureau. Our technicians perform your repairs fast so that your garage is functional and safe again.

Contact us today for a free, no-obligation estimate, or schedule your service online. Call or text us at 480-750-7975.