Garage door springs are one of the most important parts of your garage door. They are what gives the door enough to stay open, as you drive your car underneath it. Like all garage door parts, they do eventually wear down and require either repair or replacement.
How much will it cost you to do so?
How Garage Door Springs Work
To determine the cost, you’ll first need to understand what kind of garage door springs you have. There are two types, torsion or extension springs.
Extension springs work by storing energy by stretching or expanding. You’ll typically have two of these, one at either side of the door. They sit on each side, running parallel to the track.
Torsion springs, on the other hand, sit on the metal shaft directly above the garage door. There can be up to four of them, depending on the size and weight of the door. There are drums placed at either end of the shaft, and the energy created by the springs is sent to the drums, which spin cables and open the door.
It’s important to know which type you have, as the cost will be determined by which one your garage door uses, how many you need, and whether you’ll need professional help to install them.
Repair Vs. Replace
When it comes to springs, you’ll see that you actually can’t repair one that’s worn out or broken. If you’re seeing issues with a spring, it will need to be taken out, and a new one put in.
If the spring is wearing out, you’ll see that the garage door won’t stay open, or will open unevenly. The best way to test this is to open up the door halfway and step back. If a spring is wearing out, you’ll see the door start to close. You can also check the springs themselves. Worn springs will not coil up as tightly as a new one would.
The other way springs break is by snapping. Each spring should come with a recommended cycle limit. That should be how many times you should expect the spring to open and close the door. After that, it will start to wear down. If left for too long, it can snap. This is to be avoided, as a snapped spring has a lot of tension behind it, and can travel a long way. That can damage your car, or even cause injury.
If you ever hear a loud bang from your garage, that’s a sign that spring may have snapped. These days many springs have cables running through them, to stop them from causing damage in this instance. Either way, you will want to replace it before it gets to that point.
How Much Does It Cost To Repair A Broken Garage Door Spring?
The cost of your new garage door springs depends on several different factors, including the following:
How many springs are broken: It’s unlikely that all your springs will break at the same time. As such, you may not need to replace them all. However, it is advised so your garage door has even support on both sides.
The type of springs you use: The type of spring used on your garage door matters, as the costs of the springs will be different depending on the type you need.
Whether you DIY or get a professional: You can install new springs yourself, although it is a dangerous job. You’ll save money going the DIY route, but it will be safer using a professional.
On average, you’ll spend $100 to $300 on average replacing your garage door springs. The springs themselves can run anywhere from $15 to $100 each, and you’ll remember that they all need to be replaced at once to help your garage door work at optimum capacity. You’ll also be spending money on the labor involved if you hire a professional to install them for you.
Torsion springs usually cost around $75 to $150 each, including parts and labor. The springs themselves will be around $30 to $100 each. The good thing here is that you’ll only ever have two springs that need replacing at any one time. Once they’re installed, they should last at least 10,000 cycles or 8 to 15 years depending on use.
Extension springs will cost around $50 to 100 per spring to replace, with parts and labor. Springs on their own are $15 to $45 each. They’re cheaper to replace as they’re easier to install than torsion springs. They don’t last quite as long though, reaching around 8,000 to 15,000 cycles, or up to 12 years depending on usage.
How Often Do Springs Need To Be Replaced?
Typically, garage door springs are rated to last somewhere between 10,000 to 20,000 cycles. This will depend on the springs you got, but they should tell you how much wear they should take on their packaging, or in the installation guide.
After this time, they will start to weaken and break. You also have to consider other door malfunctions. If something else goes wrong with the garage door, such as a bent track, that’s going to put more pressure on the springs. That means you’ll need to do routine maintenance and make repairs as soon as you see that something’s wrong.
Getting Garage Door Tune Ups
It’s always a good idea to schedule a professional garage door tune up once or twice a year. This helps nip any problems in the bud, making repairs much cheaper overall. This can cost somewhere between $50 to $150 when you get it done.
When the professional is there, they will do things like lubricating the springs, adjusting the balance, tightening loose screws, and checking the cable feed, drums and rollers.
The cost of repairing your garage door springs will depend on a few factors, but now you have an idea of price. You’ll know what to expect, if you do have to have them replaced.