2026-04-07 6 min read
Most garage door springs don't just snap without warning. They wear down gradually over thousands of cycles, giving off subtle. and sometimes not-so-subtle. signals that something is wrong. The problem is that most homeowners don't know what to look for until the door stops working entirely. In Loudon and the surrounding towns like Epsom, Chichester, and Northfield, we see a predictable surge in spring-related service calls every late winter and early spring, right after a long season of freeze-thaw stress has pushed already-worn springs past their limit.
Here's how to read the warning signs before you end up stranded.
Standard garage door springs are rated for roughly 10,000 cycles. one cycle being one complete open-and-close of the door. If you use your garage door four times a day (in and out twice), that works out to about 1,460 cycles per year. Do the math and you're looking at a 6,7 year lifespan under normal conditions. Cold climates like Loudon's can shorten that window. The repeated freeze-thaw cycles that run from October through April accelerate metal fatigue, creating microscopic stress fractures in the coils that accumulate with every cold snap.
High-cycle springs rated for 25,000 cycles or more are available and worth considering if you're replacing springs on a heavily used door. Take a look at our services to see the spring options available.
This is one of the most reliable early signals. Disconnect the opener by pulling the emergency release cord and try to lift the door manually to waist height. A properly balanced door should feel light. the spring is doing most of the lifting. If the door feels like dead weight and you're straining to raise it, the springs are losing tension and no longer counterbalancing the door's weight. A door in this condition is also punishing your opener motor every single time it runs.
If your garage door tilts to one side as it opens, or rises in a jerky, stuttering motion rather than smooth and steady, one spring has likely weakened or broken while the other is still functioning. That imbalance puts extra stress on the opener, the cables, and the remaining spring. all of which will fail sooner if the root cause isn't addressed. A door that opens unevenly can also derail from its tracks, which turns a spring repair into a much larger job.
If you're in the house and hear what sounds like a gunshot or a loud bang coming from the garage. especially on a cold morning. there's a very good chance a torsion spring just snapped. The stored tension releases all at once, and the sound carries clearly through walls. After this happens, stop using the door. The opener is now bearing the full dead weight of the door without spring assistance, and continued use will burn out the motor fast. This is the most urgent scenario. call for same-day service and don't attempt to open the door manually more than necessary. You can reach our team directly here.
Take a moment to actually look at your springs. Torsion springs run horizontally above the door along a metal shaft. A healthy spring looks like a tight, uniform coil. Warning signs visible to the naked eye include:
- A clear gap or separation in the coils (a broken torsion spring splits into two pieces) - Rust on the coil surface. rust weakens the metal and accelerates failure, Uneven spacing between coils suggesting tension has been lost in a section
Loudon's humid summers and damp autumns create real corrosion risk for untreated springs. Applying a light coat of silicone or lithium-based lubricant to the coils every few months prevents rust from taking hold. Avoid WD-40. it attracts dust and can actually make things worse over time.
Pay attention to how your opener sounds. If it's gotten noticeably louder, or if the door opens more slowly than it used to even though you haven't changed any settings, the opener motor is compensating for springs that are no longer carrying their share of the load. Left unaddressed, this leads to motor burnout. which means you're now paying for both a spring replacement and a new opener. Catching the spring issue first saves you that second bill.
Here's a simple self-check that takes about 30 seconds:
1. Close the garage door fully. 2. Pull the emergency release cord to disconnect the opener. 3. Manually lift the door to about waist height (roughly 3,4 feet). 4. Let go.
A well-balanced door will stay put. If it drifts upward or drops toward the floor, the spring tension is off and a professional adjustment or replacement is needed. This test is safe to perform, but do not attempt to adjust or replace the springs yourself. they operate under extreme tension and can cause serious injury if they release unexpectedly during handling.
Loudon Garage Doors technicians can perform a full spring inspection and balance test as part of a standard tune-up visit. If you haven't had a professional look at your system since moving into your home. especially if the house dates to the 1980s or earlier, which is common in this area. it's worth scheduling one before next winter. Our service area page shows all the towns we cover if you want to confirm we're in your neighborhood.
The homeowners who call us in a panic in January are almost always the ones who noticed something was off in October or November but figured it could wait. In Loudon's climate, worn springs don't get a chance to recover. Each cold night contracts the metal a little more, and each morning thaw adds another micro-fracture. By February and March, months of accumulated stress have pushed already-fatigued springs to the breaking point.
If any of the five warning signs above sound familiar, don't put it off. A professional spring inspection and replacement is straightforward when it's planned. It becomes an emergency. and costs more. when the spring snaps at 6 a.m. on a February school day.
Technically yes, but most professionals recommend replacing both springs at the same time. If one spring has reached the end of its life, the other is likely close behind. Replacing both together saves you a second service call within a year and ensures balanced tension across the door system.
You can lift the door manually in an emergency, but use caution. the door will be significantly heavier than normal since the spring is no longer providing counterbalance. Lift slowly and don't leave it open unattended, as it can fall. Avoid using the automatic opener until the spring is replaced.
Torsion springs are the large coil(s) mounted horizontally above the door on a metal bar. Extension springs run along the horizontal tracks on either side of the door and stretch when the door closes. Both types wear out and need professional replacement. but torsion spring systems are more common on newer and heavier doors. If you're unsure which type you have, our FAQ page has more detail on both systems.