2026-03-19 6 min read
Most Cortez homeowners don't think about their garage door springs until one breaks with a sound like a gunshot from inside the garage. Suddenly the door won't budge, and the car is stuck inside. It's one of the more disruptive repair calls we get. and it's almost always preventable if you know what to look for ahead of time.
Springs are the workhorse of your garage door system. They counterbalance the full weight of the door. often 150 to 300 pounds. so that the opener motor and your own arms don't have to handle all of it. When they start to fail, the whole system suffers. Here's how to spot trouble before it becomes an emergency.
Springs are rated by cycles, not years. One cycle equals one full open-and-close of the door. A standard torsion spring is typically rated for around 10,000 cycles. which translates to roughly 7 to 10 years for a household that uses the garage door two to four times a day.
For Cortez homes, that math is worth keeping in mind. Many of the single-family homes in town. particularly those built during the heavy development period of the 1970s through 1990s. are now old enough that original springs have been replaced once or are overdue. Newer construction in areas like Fairway Estates tends to have more modern hardware, but age isn't the only factor. Temperature extremes, infrequent lubrication, and heavier door materials all shorten spring life.
If your springs are approaching or past the 7-to-10-year range, it's worth a visual inspection. especially before Cortez winters hit. Our essential garage door maintenance tips cover how to fold spring checks into your regular routine.
This is the most telling sign. Disconnect your opener by pulling the red emergency release cord, then try to lift the door manually. It should come up smoothly and stay in place when held at mid-height. If it feels like you're lifting a refrigerator, or if it drops the moment you let go, the springs are likely no longer doing their job. A functioning spring system should make the door feel nearly weightless.
If you heard a sharp snap or bang. often described as sounding like a firecracker or a car backfiring. and the door stopped working shortly after, a spring almost certainly broke. This happens most often when the spring is under full tension, typically at the moment the door is fully closed. Don't attempt to operate the door. Call for service.
Look above your door at the horizontal metal bar. The torsion spring wraps around it in a tight coil. If you see a visible gap anywhere in that coil. even an inch or two. the spring has snapped. A healthy spring has no gaps; the coils sit tightly together. This is one of the clearest visual cues you'll get.
If one side of the door rises faster than the other, or if the door appears to tilt while opening, one spring may have failed while the other is still holding. This puts uneven strain on the cables, tracks, and opener motor. and if left alone, turns one broken spring into several expensive repairs. Check for this by watching the door open from a safe distance.
Your opener motor was designed to operate with healthy springs doing most of the heavy lifting. If the springs are failing, the motor compensates. and you'll often hear it laboring, humming longer than usual, or stopping partway through the cycle. Left unchecked, a failing spring will eventually burn out your opener motor too, turning a single repair into two.
Cortez's climate. dry overall but with winter moisture from snowmelt. can cause springs to rust over time, especially in garages without good airflow. A rusty spring is brittle and much more prone to snapping. Similarly, if the coils appear stretched out or elongated rather than tightly wound, the spring has lost the tension it needs to work properly. Any visible rust, fraying cables near the springs, or gaps between coils warrant a professional look before they become failures.
Garage door springs are under enormous tension. When they're wound tight, they store significant mechanical energy. Attempting to replace them yourself without the proper winding bars, technique, and experience is genuinely dangerous. we're talking about the potential for broken fingers, facial injuries, or a 200-pound door dropping without warning.
Leave spring replacement to trained technicians. What you *can* do is keep springs lubricated with a light coat of garage door lubricant every few months, which reduces friction and extends their life. You can also do the manual balance test described above a couple of times per year to catch deterioration early. For a broader look at what warning signs should prompt a call, our guide on recognizing when your door needs professional attention is a useful reference.
One more note: when one spring breaks, replace both at the same time. Springs wear together, so if one has reached the end of its life, the other isn't far behind. Replacing both prevents a repeat service call a few months later.
If you're seeing any of these signs on your Cortez home's garage door. whether you're in an older home near Montezuma Avenue or a newer build on the outskirts toward Dolores. don't wait for a full failure. View our full list of garage door services or schedule an inspection before a worn spring becomes a much bigger problem.
It's not recommended. A spring that's partially failing puts excess strain on your opener motor and cables, and can snap completely without warning. potentially while someone is nearby. Use the door as little as possible and have it inspected promptly.
Costs vary based on spring type and door size, but torsion spring replacements generally run between $170 and $450, while extension springs tend to be less expensive. A professional will measure your door and select the correct spring rating. using the wrong size can actually shorten the new spring's lifespan significantly.
Yes. and this is standard advice from any reputable technician. Since both springs wear at the same rate, the second one is likely close to its end of life when the first one breaks. Replacing both at once saves you from a repeat service call within months and keeps the door balanced.