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Garage door springs help your garage door open and close in a controlled manner, but are they dangerous? Like other parts of your home, garage doors have safety standards to prevent injury or security issues. It’s important to know how to handle garage door springs in order to keep your garage door working correctly and prevent any potential safety hazards.

What Happens When a Garage Door Spring Breaks?

Depending on your opener system, you may have one or two garage door springs. The most common reason they break is due to normal wear and tear. Other reasons include improper maintenance and rust. The signs you have broken springs are usually obvious:

• The door falls rapidly
• The door opens in a lopsided manner
• You hear a loud pop when the door opens
• The door won’t open at all
• The automatic open can’t fully raise the door 

When the spring breaks, the tension and control are lost in the door, causing it to fall rapidly. But there could be other reasons your door is making noise or is difficult to open. Check out more Common Garage Door Problems and How to Fix Them to troubleshoot other issues you may be experiencing.

Can You Lift a Garage Door if the Spring Is Broken?

While it is possible to lift a garage door with a broken spring, it isn’t recommended. Remember that garage doors typically weigh up to 300 lbs. They keep your home safe from intruders as well as pests. Doors with broken springs may fall rapidly and can lead to injury. 

In addition, using the automatic opener to open a garage door with broken springs can cause more damage. The opener is made to work as a part of an entire system. If one part of that system fails, trying to use the opener can cause more issues, leading to more expensive repairs.

Are Garage Door Springs Dangerous?

To put it simply: Yes, they can be. Garage door springs carry hundreds of pounds of pressure in the coils. So the springs may be dangerous during installation, operation, and when broken but not yet removed. Springs break most commonly in the wintertime when metal contracts and is less malleable. As the weather changes from season to season, regular maintenance checks are essential in keeping you and your family safe.

How Often Do Garage Door Springs Need to Be Replaced? How Do I Know if My Garage Door Springs Need to Be Replaced?

The lifespan of garage door springs is typically stated in cycles. For example, a company may state their springs are good for 10,000 – 15,000 cycles. Cycles are the number of opens and closes you perform with your garage door. Good quality garage door springs will last you about 7-12 years. The actual length of time your springs last depends on your daily usage as well as regular maintenance practices.

Common signs your springs need replacing include:

• Rust
• Springs are missing sections or stretched out
• The door falls slightly when opened in manual mode

Can I Replace Just One Garage Door Spring?

Garage door springs are like replacing old car tires. You want to take care of all of them at once. By replacing your springs all at once, you ensure that you won’t have a dangerous situation with an older spring causing issues soon after the first replacement. By carrying it out in one fell swoop, you’ll also save on the cost of calling in a professional a second time.

Can I Replace a Garage Door Spring Myself? 

As previously mentioned, garage door spring replacement can be dangerous. We recommend that, in this case, you avoid DIY projects. Improperly installed springs can damage the rest of your opening system and your garage door or cause bodily injury. Professionals have specialized equipment to reduce the danger to themselves and everyone around. 

While there are projects you can do yourself, like testing your sensors, call in the pros for garage door spring replacement.

How Much Does It Cost to Replace Garage Door Springs?

The cost of replacing garage door springs depends on your opening system, type of door, and the type of springs. At American Garage Door, we make our team available 24/7 in case of emergencies like falling doors. We’ll come to your home, survey the damage and give you a quote customized to you. We offer affordable prices so you can invest in peace of mind knowing the job is done the right way. Put our 30+ years of service to work for you and contact us today.