2026-03-21 6 min read
Most Bridgewater homeowners don't think about their garage door springs until something goes wrong. and when a spring fails, it usually announces itself with a loud bang from the garage that sounds unsettlingly like a gunshot. One moment the door works fine. The next, it won't budge. If you've experienced this, you already know how disruptive it is. If you haven't, knowing the warning signs in advance can save you from a bad morning.
This post covers what garage door springs actually do, how long they last, the specific signs they're wearing out, and why this is one repair you should never attempt yourself.
Garage door springs are the workhorse of the entire system. They counterbalance the weight of the door. which can easily weigh 150 to 300 pounds for a typical residential door. making it light enough for your opener motor (or your own arm) to lift. Without functioning springs, the opener is essentially trying to hoist a few hundred pounds on its own, which it isn't built to do.
There are two types found in residential garages:
- Torsion springs: Mounted horizontally above the door opening. These are wound under tension and unwind as the door opens. They're the more common and durable option on modern homes. - Extension springs: Mounted along the sides of the door track. These stretch and contract during operation and are more common on older garage doors. which you'll find on many of the historic Colonials and older ranch-style homes throughout Bridgewater.
Learn more about what a full garage door service includes. spring inspection is part of every visit we do.
Springs are rated by cycles, not years. and one cycle equals one full open and one full close. Standard torsion springs are typically rated for around 10,000 cycles. At an average of four cycles per day, that works out to roughly seven to nine years of use. Heavier doors, higher-frequency use, or springs that weren't properly sized for the door can wear them out sooner.
Extreme temperature swings. exactly what Bridgewater and surrounding areas like Woodbury and Southbury experience every year. accelerate wear. The repeated expansion and contraction of the metal, combined with Connecticut's humid winters, increases the risk of rust and brittleness over time.
If your door is approaching that age range, or you've been in your home long enough that you're not sure when the springs were last replaced, it's worth having someone take a look before you're stuck.
Spring failure isn't always sudden. More often, there are weeks or months of warning signs that most homeowners miss because the door still technically opens and closes. Here's what to watch for:
If you disconnect your opener (pull the red emergency cord) and try to lift the door manually, it should be relatively light. maybe 10 to 20 pounds of resistance. If it feels like you're lifting dead weight, the springs have lost tension and aren't doing their share of the work anymore.
Lift the door manually to about waist height and let go. A properly balanced door stays in place. If it slowly slides back down, or falls quickly, your springs can no longer hold the counterbalance. A door that drops unexpectedly is a genuine safety hazard. especially for children and pets moving in and out of the garage.
Look up at the torsion spring above your door (do this from a safe distance, not up close). A healthy spring has tightly wound coils with no gaps. If you see a gap of two inches or more in the coil, the spring has snapped. Don't use the door. Call for service.
If one spring fails while the other is still functioning, the door will lift unevenly. tilting to one side as it rises. This puts enormous stress on the opener, cables, and the remaining spring. Left unaddressed, you'll soon be dealing with a much more expensive repair across multiple components.
Loud squeaking or grinding during opening and closing can indicate worn springs, but also worn rollers or dry hinges. Lubrication may help temporarily. If the noise persists after lubricating, have a technician inspect the springs directly.
If you hear the opener motor laboring. especially if the door moves slowly or stops mid-travel. it's often because the springs aren't providing adequate support. Continuing to run the opener in this condition can burn out the motor. Contact Garage Door Bridgewater before a spring problem becomes an opener problem too.
This one isn't a liability disclaimer. it's genuinely true. Garage door springs are under extreme mechanical tension. A torsion spring that snaps or releases suddenly can cause serious injury or death. The tools required to properly wind and set the tension are specialized, and the risk of getting it wrong (either under-tensioning or over-tensioning) means the door won't be balanced correctly afterward.
Always replace springs in pairs, even if only one has broken. Springs that were installed at the same time wear at similar rates, so if one goes, the other is close behind. Replacing just one leaves you with mismatched tension and a likely repeat service call.
For answers to other common repair questions, visit our FAQ page. we've covered the scenarios we hear most often from homeowners across Bridgewater and the Housatonic River Valley.
Q: I heard a loud bang from my garage but the door still opens. Did a spring break?
A: Possibly. A snapping torsion spring makes a very loud, sharp sound. often described as a bang or gunshot. Even if the door still moves, inspect the spring above the door for a visible gap. If you see one, stop using the door and schedule a repair. Running the opener with a broken spring puts the motor and cables at serious risk.
Q: Can I replace just one spring if only one broke?
A: Technically yes, but it's not recommended. Springs installed at the same time wear at the same rate. If one broke, the other is nearing the end of its life too. Replacing both at the same time ensures balanced tension and avoids a second service call in a matter of months.
Q: How much does garage door spring replacement typically cost in the Bridgewater area?
A: Costs vary depending on the spring type, door size, and whether you need one or both replaced. A professional replacement generally includes balancing the door and inspecting related components. Getting a proper inspection is the best way to get an accurate quote. and to make sure nothing else in the system has been damaged by the failing springs.