Replacing a garage door spring yourself isn't impossible, but it does require special knowledge about the springs and how a garage door works.
While it's technically possible to replace garage door springs yourself, it's highly recommended to hire a professional for this task. Garage door springs are under high tension, and mishandling them can lead to serious injury or even death.
Some homeowners may attempt DIY repairs on their garage doors, including repairing or replacing broken springs themselves. However, this is not recommended and can lead to more problems than solutions. Not only is it unsafe, but it can also cause more damage to your garage door system if not done properly.
Expect to spend $120–$350 to replace your garage door spring, including material costs and professional installation. While these heavy-duty springs are built to last, they'll eventually need replacement due to wear and tear. Garage door spring replacement isn't your average DIY project, either.
Replacing garage door springs takes 30 minutes to 1 hour. New garage door springs last 7 to 14 years, or between 10,000 and 20,000 up-and-down cycles. It is important to hire a professional to help, because changing a garage door spring can be dangerous.
When properly installed, your springs can last approximately 10,000 cycles. One cycle includes both the opening and closing of the door. Technically speaking, your springs should last between 7 to 10 years. However, this depends on how often you use your garage door.
As professionals in the industry, we advise you do not attempt to open your garage door if the spring is broken.
Replacing both springs at the same time offers a significant benefit. It reduces the risk of one spring failing shortly after the replacement, saving you from having to repeat the entire repair process.
As their names imply, torsion springs use torque, while extension springs use the build-up of energy in their springs to lift the garage door. Garage doors operate on a counterbalance system, meaning they utilize the energy in their mechanisms to pull the garage door open and close it again.
Out of all parts of your garage door, its springs experience the greatest stress and are the most prone to breaking.
For this reason, we strongly recommend that you don't attempt to fix your garage door yourself and use a professional door repair service. We're not making this recommendation because we're a garage door company and we're trying to scare you into calling us.
For extension springs, you'll need to know the length of the spring, the weight that it's intended to hold and the outside diameter. It is common that most residential garage doors are either seven or eight feet tall. Seven-foot doors usually use a 25-inch spring, and eight-foot doors use a 27-inch spring.
A 7 ft tall garage door with a standard 12 inch drum, will require 29-30 quarter turns on the spring. An 8 ft garage door with a standard 12 inch drum, will require 33-34 quarter turns on the spring.
While the most common reason garage doors springs break is general wear and tear, on average, garage door springs typically last between 7 to 9 years or approximately 10,000 cycles (one cycle is a full open and close of the door).
Extension Spring Conversion Pricing
Typically, the cost of converting a garage door from extension springs to torsion springs can range from $600 to $800 or more, including the cost of materials and labor.
In most cases, you can determine the wind of your garage door torsion spring by using the color-coded system on the cones at the end of the spring. Usually, you will have two springs on your door, which will be color-coded. In MOST (not all) cases, the end on the right hand wind is red and the left hand wind is black.
Torsion springs usually have 5,000-20,000 cycles which means they can last between 7 to 12 years (and even more). Extension Springs' Life Expectancy: Extension springs are installed at the side of the door and act extend, rather than contract (as does the torsion spring).
One of the most important maintenance tasks in your home that you should never try to DIY is replacing a garage door spring. Because of the huge tension the springs hold, it is extremely dangerous to attempt a garage door spring replacement yourself.
Breaking Down the Cost of Spring Replacement
To help you understand the costs more easily, here's a simple guide based on the number of springs your garage door uses: 1 spring: $250 – $350 (usually for single-car garage doors) 2 springs: $350 – $500 (typically for double-car garage doors) 3 springs: $450 – $650.
The time it takes to replace garage door springs can vary depending on several factors, including the type of springs, the size and weight of the garage door, and the experience and expertise of the service provider. However, on average, garage door spring replacement can take anywhere from 30 minutes to two hours.
Damage to the Door Opener: Garage door openers are not designed to lift the full weight of a door without the aid of springs.
Too much tension: Your garage door will not close completely or will remain closed and blocked.