Why do my garage door torsion springs keep breaking?

By far the biggest reason for garage door spring failure is simple wear and tear. Most springs are engineered and rated for about 10,000 cycles – one cycle being the garage door going up and coming back down to close.

Do garage door springs lose tension?





All garage door springs lose tension over time, so it is important to recognize some of the signs that yours need adjustment and some attention from professionals like our Parker garage door team. Keeping an eye on your garage door’s performance is the easiest way to make sure that everything is operating as it should.

How do I know if my garage door tension spring is broken?

Signs of a Broken Garage Door Spring

  1. The top half of the door appears misaligned.
  2. The door opens a few inches and then slams down again.
  3. The cables attached to the springs are dangling.
  4. The door seems to be off track or crooked.


What happens if you over tighten garage door springs?

1) Secure the door in place by putting a C-clamp on the garage door track above the bottom-most door roller. As you adjust the spring more tightly, there is the chance that the door may begin to rise if you overtighten it… a dangerous possibility!

How long should torsion springs last?





Most torsion springs last for 10,000 cycles. Depending on how frequently the door is activated, that could translate to nearly a decade or just a few years.

Why would a garage door spring snap?

When the garage door is lowered, the springs gain tension. When raising the garage door, tension is released and the spring assists with the lifting. It’s important to note, your garage door springs have the most tension when the garage door is closed. As a result, most garage door springs break when the door is down.

How much tension should be on garage door springs?

A rule of thumb with springs is that four quarter turns equals a full revolution and the spring needs to be tightened a full revolution for every foot of door height (e.g. 7-1/2 foot door = 7 revolutions +2 (30 quarter turns).

What is the average life of a garage door spring?

The average garage door spring, if correctly installed, should last about 10,000 cycles of opening and closing. If you only go in and out of your garage once a day, that means you should expect a broken garage door spring around 14 years after the spring is first installed.

How tight should a garage door spring be?



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What happens if I use a longer torsion spring?

Long Life Torsion Springs



By using larger springs, you can, in most cases, quadruple your spring life while only doubling the cost of the springs. You will also avoid extra work down the road. The industry standard is 10-15,000 cycles for new doors.

How long are garage door springs supposed to last?

How long do garage springs last, typically? The average garage door spring, if correctly installed, should last about 10,000 cycles of opening and closing. If you only go in and out of your garage once a day, that means you should expect a broken garage door spring around 14 years after the spring is first installed.

Why do springs break?



Most springs fail due to fatigue, meaning they have sustained many compression-extension cycles, and the metal becomes brittle and breaks. If the amplitude of these cycles is large, the fatiguing process is accelerated. Cars with continually overloaded trunks are candidates for early spring failure.

What happens if torsion spring is broken?

If your garage door’s torsion spring is broken you will likely notice the following: Usually the automatic garage door opener will not open the door. When you disconnect the opener and raise the door manually, the door won’t stay in the up position. You will see the split in the spring when viewing it.

Can you lift a garage door without springs?

If your garage door has a broken spring and you must take your cars out of the garage or open it for any reason, the best and safest thing to do (although not recommended) is to open it manually. Use Extreme Caution! Disengage the door from the opener, and carefully lift the door up.

Why is my garage door so heavy?

Cause: Garage torsion springs are vital aspects of the garage opening system, as no other part of the mechanism is strong enough to lift the heavy door. When a torsion spring suffers a failure or breakage, you may notice that your garage feels much weightier to lift, or it simply won’t open at all.

How heavy is the average garage door?



between 200 and 750 pounds

Your average garage door weighs anywhere between 200 and 750 pounds. Solid wood doors can be even heavier, especially after being saturated by heavy rain. This is why garage door systems include springs.

Why is there a shortage of garage doors?

A nationwide shortage of garage doors leaves new residential construction projects stuck open. A single house under construction in America today faces all kinds of problems, starting with a run on lumber, then bricklayers in demand, subcontractors with Covid, appliances on back order and plumbing fixtures out at sea.

Why is it so hard to get garage doors right now?

​The Wall Street Journal​ reports that it’s one of the biggest areas affected. “Pandemic related factory closures, transportation delays, and port capacity limits have stymied the flow of many goods and materials critical for home building including windows, garage doors, appliances, and paint,” the article explains.

Who is the largest garage door manufacturer?



Clopay. Clopay has garage doors that fit every style for residential and commercial purposes. The company started in 1964 and has become the largest manufacturer of residential garage doors in North America.

Why does it take so long to get a new garage door?

It’s no secret that the supply chain is struggling and it isn’t just an issue for those of us in the garage door industry. The global pandemic has caused significant delays for residential and commercial garage door companies with lead times increasing from around 3-5 days to 6-12 weeks.

Why are garage door prices so high?

Garage doors are one of many market segments experiencing extremely high demand due to homeowners’ focus on home improvements during the pandemic. Inventory is rapidly shrinking as manufacturers struggle to produce new garage doors and parts built to meet strict federal and local standards.

How long does it take a professional to replace a garage door opener?

about four to six hours

It typically takes about four to six hours to install a garage door opener.