Springs matched to the door
Weight, height, track radius and the lift arrangement decide which spring fits. Two coils that look identical on the shelf can be wound differently and rated for very different loads.
Garage Door Spring Repair
A broken spring is the most common reason a Tempe garage door stops lifting. The opener was never built to carry the weight on its own, so leave the door down and let Tempe Garage Door Service check the springs, cables, drums and bearings together.
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Signs That Need Attention
- A bang from the garage, often heard overnight, followed by a door that will not move
- A visible gap in the coiled spring above the opening
- The opener strains, lifts the door a few inches and stops
- The door feels extremely heavy if you try to raise it by hand
- One side of the door lifts before the other
Springs are rated in cycles rather than years, and in a Tempe household where the garage is the main way in and out, a door can easily run six or eight times a day. That daily count, not the calendar, is what brings a spring to the end of its life.
What the Service Includes
Not every visit needs every item below. The inspection separates the failure you called about from wear that is worth knowing about but does not have to be dealt with today.
Supporting hardware inspected
Cables, drums, center bearings and end bearing plates take the same load as the spring. A worn bearing left in place will chew through a new spring far sooner than it should.
Balance and safety re-checked
Once the springs are fitted the door is disconnected from the opener and balanced by hand, then the travel limits and safety reverse are tested. The motor should never be compensating for a heavy door.
Your Repair Options
A quote for spring work should name the failed parts, the replacements being fitted and any related wear found during the inspection. Ask for the cycle rating of the springs being installed, because a higher-rated spring is often worth discussing on a door that runs all day.
If the door is also noisy, sits crooked or stops partway, the spring may not be the whole story. Tempe Garage Door Service can look at cable and roller repair at the same visit, and check whether the opener was damaged while straining against the failed spring.
If this is the second or third failure on an aging door, use the repair versus replacement guide to prepare your questions. Coverage details for each community are on the service areas page.
Spring Repair Questions
Why did my garage door spring break?
Springs wear out by cycle count. Each full open and close uses one cycle, and a standard spring is rated for a set number of them. A garage used as the family entrance reaches that number years earlier than a door opened twice a day, and summer heat in a Tempe garage does the metal no favors either.
Should both springs be replaced if only one broke?
On a door with two springs, replacing the pair is normal practice. Both were fitted at the same time and have taken the same number of cycles, so the survivor is usually close behind. Tempe Garage Door Service will explain the choice rather than simply adding parts to the invoice.
Is it safe to open the door by hand after a spring breaks?
No. Without the spring the door is carrying its full weight, which can be well over a hundred pounds, and pulling the release cord on a raised door can let it drop. Leave it closed and keep people and cars out from under it until a technician arrives.
How long does a spring replacement take?
Most residential spring replacements are finished in a single visit once the door is inspected and the correct parts are confirmed. Unusual door sizes or a conversion between spring types can take longer, and Tempe Garage Door Service will say so before you approve the work.
Arrange garage door service in Tempe
If you heard a bang and the door will not lift, leave it closed and call for an inspection.