Garage Door Spring Replacement Cost: What You'll Pay and Why
The short answer
The best garage door lubricant for a residential door is a silicone spray or a white lithium grease, and the water-displacing penetrating spray most people reach for is neither one. For a full pass done by somebody who does it daily, call Century Garage Door Service at 833-435-4540.
You heard it from the kitchen. A loud bang like a board had been dropped, then nothing. Now you are standing in the garage with the door shut, looking at a gap in the coil above the door. What will the spring replacement cost be?
Nationally, the spring replacement cost typically falls in the $150 to $540 range for parts and labor combined. National cost surveys put the average for the job at roughly $250 to $420. Your door will likely land somewhere in that spread, and you get a written quote before any work starts. The rest of this page explains what moves the number.
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Garage door spring replacement cost, the short answer
In terms of cost, much of the spring replacement cost is labor to safely wind up hundreds of pounds of tension and set it to suit your door, rather than the cost of the steel itself. The springs themselves are the smaller part of the bill, and their price depends on type and size.
In terms of pricing, a heavy door (like a double door) or older cables and bearings that need to be replaced at the same time will push a spring replacement cost near to or above the top of the range. So will a broken spring that has ravaged the opener. A simple extension setup on a light single door would price at the lower end of the range.
Also note that cost to replace garage door spring parts on a second door (if you have two bays) usually comes in lower than a separate call, because the truck is already there.
What actually moves the price
Five things decide where your spring replacement cost lands. Here they are, roughly in the order they matter.
| Factor | Why it moves the spring replacement cost |
|---|---|
| Door weight and size | A heavier door needs a stronger, longer spring, and a double door often needs two torsion springs sized as a matched pair |
| Spring type | Torsion systems take more time and tooling than extension springs, so they usually land higher |
| Spring quality and cycle rating | A higher cycle spring costs more up front and lasts longer, which often makes it the cheaper choice over the life of the door |
| What else is worn | Frayed cables, worn drums, tired bearings or rollers get found during the job and add parts and time |
| Damage from running it broken | An opener that strained against a dead spring can strip its drive gear, and that’s a separate repair |
Many low priced springs have low cycle ratings. These need to be carefully checked, as they can cost a lot more in the long run than they appear to cost at first. Standard residential springs are typically rated for around 10,000 cycles, and one cycle is one opening and one closing of the door. So a family who opens and closes the door four times a day would use up a standard spring in about seven years. Higher cycle springs are available at a slightly higher cost but can push the next spring replacement cost many more years out. It is worth asking about them when you get the quote.
Torsion versus extension springs
ALT: torsion spring and shaft at the garage door header, the assembly a spring replacement cost covers
You probably have one of two kinds, and you can tell which from the floor.
Torsion springs are mounted on a steel shaft above the door opening. They are typically installed in newer homes, and they are quieter and last longer than extension springs. However, because they are wound up like a clock spring, they require more care when replacing. The old spring must be unwound and the new spring wound to the exact number of turns required for that door. Consequently, the garage door torsion spring replacement cost typically falls in the middle to upper portion of the national range.
Extension springs usually carry a lower spring replacement cost. They run along the horizontal tracks on each side of the door, and you’ll find them on older models and lighter doors. The parts are typically less expensive and the repair can be completed more quickly. Note that extension springs should always be equipped with a safety cable that runs through the spring. If your springs don’t have one, your technician can add it while completing the repair.
Here’s the catch with either type. The garage door spring cost quoted for the part alone means very little, because the part itself is a small share of the bill. In reality, a spring of incorrect size for your door will strain the opener on every cycle and wear out early. So a correctly sized spring matters far more than a low price for the part.
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Why both springs usually get replaced
“Only one of them broke. Why are you replacing two?”
This is a very common objection to the whole job, and it is a fair point. Both springs were installed at the same time and have been cycled the same number of times since then. When one breaks, the other is not far behind. Replacing just the broken spring means you now have a new spring working beside a worn one. Your door may not balance properly, and you will be paying for a second service call before long. Replacing the pair may cost a little more on the day, but it usually keeps the total spring replacement cost lower over the life of the door.
So when you compare spring replacement cost quotes, check whether each one is for one spring or a pair. A low quote for one spring can end up costing more than a fair quote for both.
Repair, replace, or is it something else?
People search for garage door spring repair cost, but a broken spring can’t be repaired, and it can’t safely be welded or spliced either. It has to be replaced. Anyone offering to repair a broken spring is really offering you a problem.
A spring that is still in one piece but has lost some tension can be adjusted. This type of spring shows up as a door that feels very heavy or will not stay open in the middle. Adjusting the tension of such a spring is technician’s work.
Sometimes a door that won’t open isn’t a spring problem at all. A cable that has come off its drum or an opener fault can stop a door, and sometimes it’s just a tripped safety sensor. So before you budget for a spring replacement cost, find out what you’re actually looking at. Our garage door won’t open guide walks through the signs, and our garage door spring replacement guide covers how to tell whether a spring is broken.
The clearest sign is a visible gap in a coil on the shaft above the door. If you see that, it is the spring.
The do-it-yourself math, and why it doesn't add up
There’s a version of this where you watch a video, buy a pair of springs online, and save most of the spring replacement cost. The bad news first: spring work is the part of a garage door most likely to hurt someone who tries it without training, and no saving is worth that risk.
Never adjust, wind, unwind, replace, or release the tension on the torsion springs above the door or the lift cables running down the sides, because they hold hundreds of pounds of stored energy and get replaced with winding bars by a trained technician. Drive gear internals and main power wiring are technician work too.
Also there is a financial conundrum here. Matching a spring to a door is a bit of a guessing game based on the door’s weight and height, so initially getting it wrong means having to buy them twice. As most people do not have the tools or knowledge to correctly set the number of turns on a spring, an under-wound or over-wound spring will leave a door unbalanced and wear out your opener. Even allowing for the potential saving, it’s likely to be soon spent.
What a fair quote looks like
A good spring replacement cost quote is dull in the best sense of the word. It is written down, it names every part, and nothing starts until you approve it.
Here’s what to look for, in order:
That last point matters more than most people realize. You should never feel locked in just because a truck is already in your driveway.
When you call Century Garage Door Repair Service at 833-435-4540, a live person answers around the clock. You get a two-hour arrival window and a text when the truck is on the way, and our trucks carry spring stock in common sizes, so most spring jobs are done in one visit. If there are any problems within 24 hours, we’ll come back and check it out. Seniors and military get a standing discount. So do first responders.
A written quote before any work begins
Nothing should start until you've approved it.
Whether it covers one spring or both
The spring type and cycle rating belong on it too.
Any extra parts found during inspection, like cables, drums, bearings or rollers, listed separately so you can see them
The balance and safety check at the end, which should be part of every spring job
What happens if you say no
With us, if you decline the quote, no work is done.
What to do before anyone arrives
You’ve found the gap in the coil. Here’s the part that keeps a spring problem from adding to your spring replacement cost.
If a spring is broken, don’t run the opener at all and don’t try to lift the door by hand, because nothing is counterbalancing the door’s full weight and the motor will strip its drive gear attempting it.
Leave the door exactly where it is. If your car is stuck inside, that’s frustrating, but it’s the cheaper kind of frustrating. Pressing the button a few more times in the hope that it will go is how a spring job turns into a spring job plus a new opener, and that’s the single most common way people add to their own spring replacement cost.
Keep kids and pets away from the door. If you can, note whether the spring sits on the bar above the door or along the side tracks, and tell the dispatcher when you call. It helps the technician bring the right size of part, which is one more reason most of these jobs are done in a single visit. You can find out more about the visit on our spring repair page.
For background on how residential counterbalance systems are rated and sized, the industry’s own technical material is a good read: ANSI/DASMA 103, the standard for residential counterbalance systems.
FAQs: spring replacement cost
How much does it cost to replace one garage door spring?
Replacing a single spring is usually slightly less expensive than replacing a pair, but most technicians recommend replacing both, because the second spring is usually near failure. For one spring alone, the spring replacement cost would generally fall in the lower half of the typical national range. Call 833-435-4540 for a written quote on your door.
Is it worth paying more for a high cycle spring?
Yes, often. A high cycle spring adds a little to the spring replacement cost up front but is designed to last for more opens and closes than a standard spring. On a door that’s used several times a day, that can push the next replacement years further out. Check the cycle rating on every quote so you can compare like with like.
Can I keep using my garage door with one broken spring?
No, the opener is not designed to lift the weight of the door and running a dead spring against the opener can strip the drive gear and cost another repair. Leave the door alone for now, keep people clear and have the spring replaced by a qualified service technician before attempting to open/close the door again.
Why do torsion springs cost more than extension springs?
For a torsion system, the spring replacement cost reflects that torsion springs take more time and special tools to remove the old spring and then wind on the new one with exactly the right number of turns for your door. Extension springs are typically faster to replace. Torsion systems are generally smoother and last longer, which offsets some of the added cost.
Does homeowners insurance cover a broken garage door spring?
Usually not. Most policies treat a broken spring as maintenance, because it failed from age and wear rather than sudden damage. It can be different if the door itself was damaged in an insured event, such as a storm or a vehicle hitting it. It’s always best to check your own policy terms or speak with your insurer before assuming either way.
How long does a new garage door spring last?
How long a spring lasts depends on its cycle rating and how often the door is used. A standard spring is typically rated for around 10,000 cycles, which many households reach in roughly seven to ten years. A higher cycle spring lasts proportionally longer, which is why it is worth asking about at the quote stage.
Will the price change if the technician finds other worn parts?
A fair quote is clearly laid out. It details the spring work, then lists any additional parts found during the inspection, such as frayed cables or worn drums, as separate items for you to approve or decline. Nothing should start until you have approved the written quote, and if you decline it, no work is done.
Get a written quote for your garage door spring
Broken springs seem to pick the worst time, usually the morning you need the car. Call Century Garage Door Repair Service at 833-435-4540 and a live person answers, day or night. You’ll get a two-hour arrival window with a text when the truck is on the way. You’ll also get a written quote before any work starts, so you know your spring replacement cost before anyone picks up a tool.
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