2026-04-17 7 min read
If you've ever walked into your garage in the morning to find the door won't budge. motor running but nothing happening. there's a good chance a spring just let go. It's one of the most common calls we get here in Fillmore, and honestly, it makes sense given the conditions our doors deal with year-round.
Fillmore sits in the Santa Clara River Valley and runs hot for a big chunk of the year. Temperatures can easily reach above 100 degrees in summer, and while winters stay mild, the dry heat cycles put real stress on metal components. Springs expand and contract with temperature shifts, and over years of use in this climate, that fatigue adds up. Add in the valley's occasional strong wind events and the dust that rolls through from the surrounding agricultural land, and your springs are working harder than they might in a milder coastal city.
Your garage door. whether it's on an older bungalow near Central Avenue or a newer build out in the western residential communities. relies on springs to counterbalance the door's weight. Without them, that door can weigh anywhere from 130 to 400+ pounds and your opener motor simply can't handle that load alone.
There are two main types:
- Torsion springs mount horizontally above the door opening and use a twisting force to lift the door. They're more common on modern sectional doors and generally last longer. - Extension springs run along the sides of the door tracks and stretch to provide lift. You'll find these on older tilt-up style doors, which are still common on some of Fillmore's vintage homes.
Most residential torsion springs are rated for about 10,000 cycles. roughly 7 to 10 years of normal use if you're opening and closing the door several times a day.
Springs rarely snap without warning. Here's what to watch for before you're left with a door that won't move:
- The door feels unusually heavy when you try to lift it manually - Visible gaps in the coils of a torsion spring. a tight, continuous coil is healthy; a gap means it's broken - The door opens unevenly, sagging or tilting to one side - Loud banging or snapping sound when the door is in use. that's often a spring going - The opener strains or reverses without fully opening the door
If you're already noticing any of these, don't wait. A door with a failing spring puts unnecessary strain on your opener motor, and a garage door that struggles to open puts extra strain on the motor, which can burn out over time. Replacing a motor is far more expensive than a spring job.
For a broader checklist of what to watch, our post on warning signs your garage door needs attention covers the full picture.
In the Southern California and Ventura County market, torsion spring replacement in California costs around $200 to $500 on average for single spring doors, inclusive of materials and labor. Extension springs are more affordable at around $120 to $200.
A few things affect where you land in that range:
- Spring type: Torsion springs cost more than extension springs, but they last longer and are considered safer - Door size: Double-wide garage doors require heavier-duty springs, which cost more - Replacing both at once: Most pros. including us at Garage Door Fillmore. recommend replacing both springs at the same time even if only one is visibly broken. Springs are typically installed in pairs and experience the same amount of wear and tear, so the second one is likely not far behind - Condition of related hardware: Sometimes a spring failure reveals worn cables or corroded hardware that should be addressed in the same visit
This is one of the few garage door jobs where the DIY-vs-pro debate has a pretty clear answer. Torsion springs are under enormous tension. we're talking hundreds of pounds of stored energy in a tightly wound coil. Replacing garage door springs can be dangerous, and a garage door pro has the tools and experience to do this project safely.
If you incorrectly tension a torsion spring, it can release violently and cause serious injury. Extension springs without safety cables installed can also become dangerous projectiles if they snap mid-operation. The $50,$100 in parts savings isn't worth the risk.
If your springs are over 7 years old or you're seeing visible wear, it's worth having a technician take a look before they fail at the worst possible time. like when you're trying to get to work or load up for a weekend trip up toward Santa Paula.
For a deeper look at what's involved in keeping your springs and hardware in shape, read our complete guide to garage door spring maintenance.
A professional spring replacement typically takes one to two hours. A good technician will:
1. Inspect both springs and related hardware (cables, drums, bottom brackets) 2. Replace springs with the correct size and cycle rating for your specific door weight and height 3. Test the door balance. a properly balanced door should stay in place when lifted halfway and released 4. Lubricate and adjust as needed 5. Check opener force settings to match the new spring tension
When you're ready to schedule service, reach out to our team and we can get you taken care of quickly. usually same day or next day for spring replacements.
Disconnect the opener by pulling the red emergency release cord, then try to lift the door manually. If the door is extremely heavy or won't stay up on its own, the springs are the likely culprit. If it lifts easily by hand, the problem is more likely with the opener itself.
Yes, in almost every case. Both springs have been under the same stress for the same number of cycles. If one broke, the other is likely close behind. Replacing both during a single visit saves on labor costs and prevents you from calling for service again a few months later.
Technically you can try, but you shouldn't. You should never open a garage door with a broken spring. the door becomes too heavy to lift safely, and forcing it risks damaging the opener, cables, and the door panels themselves.