Garage Door Spring Repair for Plain City and Columbus-Area Homes

How to tell a garage door spring has broken

The springs do the lifting. The opener only guides a door that is already balanced, so when a spring breaks you are left with the full weight of the door, which is more than an opener or a person should be lifting.

• A loud bang from the garage, often when nobody is using the door.
• A visible gap in the coil above the door.
• The door rises a few inches and stops, or the opener strains and reverses.
• The door feels extremely heavy when you try to lift it by hand.
• The door goes up crooked or drops fast when closing.
• Lift cables hanging slack at the sides of the door.

Torsion springs and extension springs: the difference

Torsion springs are mounted on a steel shaft directly above the door opening. They store energy by twisting. As the door closes, the cables turn the shaft and wind the spring tighter. As it opens, the spring unwinds and helps lift. Torsion systems give smoother, more controlled movement and are standard on most doors installed today.

Extension springs run along the horizontal tracks on each side of the door and store energy by stretching. They are common on older and lighter doors. Each one should have a safety cable running through its center so that a broken spring is contained instead of whipping across the garage.

We repair both types. The replacement has to match the door: wire size, diameter and length are selected for the door’s weight and height, and a spring that is too weak or too strong leaves the door out of balance.

What happens during a spring replacement

The technician secures the door, releases the remaining tension with winding bars and removes the broken spring. On a door with two springs, you will be shown the condition of the second one. Both were installed together and have done the same amount of work, so the survivor is usually near the end of its life too.

The new springs are installed and wound to the correct number of turns for your door. The technician then checks the cables, drums and bearings and tests the balance. A properly balanced door stays in place when you lift it halfway and let go. Last, the opener’s force and travel settings are checked against the rebalanced door.

Choices you will be asked to make

Springs are rated by cycles, and one cycle is one opening and one closing. A household that uses the garage as its front door goes through cycles faster than one that opens the door twice a day. Ask the technician about longer-life springs if your door gets heavy use.

You may also be asked whether to replace one spring or both, and whether to replace worn cables, rollers or bearings while the system is apart. The technician shows you the wear and explains the price of each option before starting. Nothing is added without your approval.

Warranty, scheduling and spring safety

Springs and other parts we replace are covered by a 3-year warranty. The work is done by A1’s own trained employees, not subcontractors.

Do not attempt spring work yourself. A wound spring holds enough force to cause severe injuries, and the winding cones, cables and bottom brackets are all under that same tension. Stop using the opener, keep children away from the door, and call (614) 500-4377. We schedule visits quickly and can tell you the next available time when you call.