Spring repair: the short answer
A loud bang and a door that will not lift usually means a broken spring. Do not force the door or pull the release. Replacement often runs $150 to $350 per door. Both springs should be changed together. Standard springs are rated for about 10,000 cycles. This is a job for a trained technician.
Reviewed by Ben Said, Majestic Garage Door · Last updated
| Typical cost (one door) | $150 to $350, average about $250 (Angi 2026) |
|---|---|
| Standard spring rating | About 10,000 cycles (Clopay) |
| Torsion spring life | 10,000 to 15,000 cycles, about 7 to 10 years (Raynor) |
| Extension spring life | 5,000 to 10,000 cycles, about 3 to 5 years (Raynor) |
| Replace one or both? | Both, so the door stays balanced |
| Availability | 24/7, call (813) 774-1127 |
How do I know it was the spring that broke?
Heard a sharp crack like a gunshot? Does the door now feel like it weighs a ton? Then a spring almost surely let go. Look up at the bar above the door. A broken torsion spring shows a clear gap of a few inches between two sections of coil.
A torsion spring is a tightly wound steel coil on a shaft above the door. It twists to store the energy needed to lift the door. The spring does the lifting, not the opener. That is why the motor hums, the door rises a few inches and then stops. Clopay describes the break as a very loud, unexpected sound. It tells homeowners to look for that clear gap in the coil. Another clue is a cable hanging loose beside the door. A door that sits crooked when it moves is one more.
Here is the common mistake we see every week. Someone pulls the emergency release or keeps pressing the remote to force the door open. With no spring to hold the weight, a door can drop fast once it is released. The opener gears can also strip trying to lift it. Stop and leave the door closed. Then book a garage door spring repair before anything else bends.
Torsion or extension springs, which do I have?
Most newer homes around Tampa Bay have torsion springs on a bar over the door. Older or lighter doors use extension springs that stretch along each horizontal track. You can tell in seconds. Just look where the springs sit.
An extension spring is a long spring that stretches along the track as the door closes. Then it pulls back to help lift the door. Extension springs should have a safety cable running through the center. That way a snapped spring does not whip across the garage. DASMA, the door manufacturers’ association notes that a safety cable can keep a broken spring contained. If yours are missing those cables, we add them. Does an older extension setup keep failing? Then a torsion conversion is often the smarter garage door torsion spring replacement. We will tell you honestly if it is worth it.
How much does garage door spring replacement cost?
For one door, most homeowners pay $150 to $350, with an average around $250. That figure comes from Angi’s 2026 cost guide. Price moves with the spring type and the door’s weight. It also depends on whether we replace one spring or the pair.
We give you the exact garage door spring repair price on site before we touch a wrench. So there are no surprises. Did the break also fray a lift cable? Angi puts cable repair at about $100 to $350. We will show you the damage before adding anything. A broken spring after midnight goes through our emergency garage door repair service. We hold it to the same quote-first standard.
What does garage door spring replacement involve?
Garage door spring replacement means fitting new springs sized to your door’s weight. Then the door is balanced and tested. A spring is not a one size fits all part. DASMA says the installer must check that a spring meets the door’s counterbalance needs. The wrong spring can shorten the life of the door and the opener. It can also make the door unsafe to lift by hand.
So we start by measuring. We check the wire size, inside diameter, length and wind direction of your old springs. DASMA also warns that paint or added parts can push a door past the weight its springs were made for. The number of turns on a torsion spring must follow the door maker’s instructions, too.
If your door has two springs, we replace both. Clopay calls springs wear and tear parts that should be changed as a pair. Last, we balance the door by hand and run the safety reverse test. Want prices by spring type first? See our spring replacement cost guide.
Why replace both springs when only one broke?
Because the second spring is the same age and has done the same work. It is close to breaking too. Replacing the pair keeps the door balanced. It also saves you a second service call a few months later.
Clopay gives the same advice. If a door has two springs, both should be replaced at the same time. That means smooth operation and longer door life. A new spring paired with a tired one pulls unevenly. That wears the cables, drums and rollers and makes the opener work harder. Our garage door spring repair always ends with balancing the door by hand. Then we run the safety reverse test. A matched pair is what lets that balance hold.
How long do garage door springs last in Florida?
Springs are rated in cycles. One cycle is the door going up once and down once. Clopay says most garage door springs are designed to last 10,000 cycles. Raynor gives these ranges for the two common types:
| Spring type | Rated cycles | Typical life at 4 uses a day |
|---|---|---|
| Torsion spring | 10,000 to 15,000 cycles | About 7 to 10 years |
| Extension spring | 5,000 to 10,000 cycles | About 3 to 5 years |
Florida shortens those numbers. DASMA’s technical sheet on spring life warns that rust reduces the effective area of spring wire. It also says corrosion pits let fatigue cracks grow. And it names salty coastal sites as a harsh setting. Salt air near the Gulf speeds that up. So do steady humidity and doors left open on hot afternoons. Does your family use the garage as the front door? Ask us about high-cycle springs. They cost more upfront but last longer.
Can I replace a broken garage door spring myself?
No, and we say that as people who do this every day. A wound torsion spring holds enough force to break a wrist. It can also throw a winding bar across the garage. DASMA states that spring systems should be repaired only by trained professionals.
The spring also has to match your door’s exact weight, wire size and wind direction. Get any of it wrong and the door drifts down or slams. Hurricane season raises the stakes. FLASH calls the garage door a home’s largest and weakest opening. A door with mismatched springs or loose bracing will not perform as its Florida product approval says. Is your door due for an upgrade anyway? Our hurricane garage doors page explains wind-rated options and permits.
Need garage door spring replacement in Tampa, Brandon, Riverview or the rest of Hillsborough County? Call (813) 774-1127 any hour. We arrive with common spring sizes. We measure your door and quote the garage door spring repair. We do not leave until the door lifts smoothly and reverses on contact. Did the failed spring hurt the opener? We check it too. We point you to garage door opener repair only if it really needs it.
Springs last longer with regular care. Our garage door maintenance checklist shows the monthly balance and safety tests.