Your garage door springs do the heavy lifting — literally. A standard two-car garage door weighs between 150 and 250 pounds, and the torsion spring above the door is under constant tension, balancing that weight so your opener only needs to move a fraction of it.
Signs Your Spring Is Failing
- Door feels heavy — If you disconnect the opener and the door feels extremely heavy to lift manually, the spring is likely broken or close to it.
- Visible gap in the spring — A broken torsion spring has a visible separation. This is the clearest sign it needs replacement.
- Door closes faster than normal — Springs control descent speed. A weakening spring means less counterbalance, so the door drops faster.
- Loud bang from the garage — A spring breaking sounds like a gunshot. If you heard it and your door no longer works properly, the spring is gone.
- Cable has come off the drum — A broken spring often causes the lift cable to go slack and fall off its drum.
The 10,000-Cycle Lifespan
Standard torsion springs are commonly rated for 10,000 cycles. One cycle = one open + one close. The average homeowner opens their garage several times per day, so cycle rating matters. High-cycle springs are available and may be worth considering for homes that use the garage as the main entry.
Don't DIY Spring Replacement
This is not a job for the homeowner. Torsion springs are under extreme tension — a spring loaded for a 200-lb door stores roughly 500 ft-lbs of energy. Improper removal can cause severe injury. Call a professional.
