2026-04-11 7 min read
If you've ever heard a sudden loud bang come from your garage. like a firecracker going off. there's a good chance a spring just let go. It's one of the most startling things that can happen at home, and it happens more often than most Artesia homeowners expect. Springs are the unsung workhorses of your garage door system, and understanding them can save you from a costly, inconvenient surprise.
Springs do one critical job: they counterbalance the weight of your door so the opener doesn't have to lift it alone. Most residential garage doors weigh between 150 and 400 pounds. Without functioning springs, your opener motor would burn out quickly. or the door simply wouldn't move at all.
There are two main types:
- Torsion springs mount horizontally above the door on a metal shaft. They wind and unwind to store and release energy as the door moves. These are more common in modern installations and tend to last longer. - Extension springs run along the horizontal tracks on either side of the door. They stretch to store energy. You'll find them more often on older or lighter doors. and Artesia has plenty of both, given that many homes here were built in the 1940s and 50s.
A standard spring is rated for around 10,000 cycles. roughly one full open-and-close counts as one cycle. For a household using the garage door two to four times a day, that translates to about 7 to 10 years of service life. If your home in Artesia or nearby Cerritos has had the same springs since the original installation, you're likely overdue for an inspection.
High-cycle springs rated at 25,000 to 50,000 cycles are available and cost more upfront, but they're worth considering if you use your garage as a primary entry point to your home.
Don't wait for a full snap. These are the signs to watch for:
If your opener strains, grinds, or stops before the door is fully open, the springs may not be providing enough support. The opener is working harder than it should, which accelerates wear on the motor and cables.
A balanced door rises evenly on both sides. If it tilts or wobbles as it moves, one spring may be weaker or already broken. This puts uneven stress on the tracks and rollers. check out our complete roller guide for more on how these components interact.
Torsion springs are tightly wound coils. If you look up above your door and see a gap of two inches or more in the coil, that spring has snapped and needs immediate replacement.
Your door should remain fully open without drifting down. If it slides closed on its own after you open it, the springs have lost tension and can no longer hold the door's weight. a serious safety hazard.
A snapping spring releases a huge amount of stored energy all at once. The sound is unmistakable. If you hear it, stop using the door immediately.
This is one area where the answer is pretty clear: don't attempt spring replacement yourself. Torsion springs are under extreme tension at all times. Attempting to adjust, remove, or replace them without the right tools and training can result in serious injury. The spring can whip, the door can drop, and the consequences can be severe.
This isn't about gatekeeping a skill. it's about physics. A door that drops unexpectedly is a crush hazard for anyone nearby, including children and pets. The services our team provides are designed precisely for moments like these, where the risk simply isn't worth taking on alone.
A qualified technician will assess the door's height and weight, evaluate the current spring setup, and recommend either a direct replacement or an upgrade to a higher-cycle system. The job typically takes under an hour. Both springs are usually replaced at the same time. if one has failed, the other is likely close behind.
After replacement, the tech will test the door's balance, check cable tension, and make sure the opener isn't overworking. It's also a good time to catch any other issues before they become problems. You can schedule a visit here if you'd like a same-day assessment.
Artesia sits in the southeast Los Angeles basin, close enough to the coast to experience the marine layer that rolls in off the Pacific. especially through May and June. That morning moisture, combined with the temperature swings that come with Santa Ana wind events in fall, creates conditions where metal components like springs can develop surface rust faster than homeowners expect. If your springs show any discoloration, rust, or visible wear, have them looked at before the next failure cycle arrives.
For a broader look at how our local weather affects your door, see our post on weather damage and Artesia garage doors.
Most single-spring replacements in the Artesia area run between $150 and $300 for parts and labor, depending on the spring type and size. Replacing both springs at once. which is almost always recommended. may add $50 to $100 to that total but saves you a return service call when the second one breaks.
No. You should stop using the door immediately. Continuing to operate it with a broken spring puts excessive strain on your opener motor and cables, and creates a risk of the door dropping suddenly. Disconnect the opener and leave the door closed until a technician can inspect it.
Look above your closed garage door. If you see a single metal coil mounted horizontally on a rod above the door opening, those are torsion springs. If you see springs running along the horizontal tracks on either side of the door, those are extension springs. Both types can be replaced, but the tools and techniques differ.