2026-03-19 7 min read
If you've lived in Rehoboth for any length of time, you already know what the winters are like. Temperatures routinely dip into the low 20s°F in January, and we see snow on the ground for weeks at a stretch. That kind of cold is hard on everything. including the springs that do the heavy lifting on your garage door every single day. Spring failure is one of the most common repair calls we see across Rehoboth and neighboring towns like Attleboro and Taunton, and it's also one of the most preventable when you know what to look for.
Before we get into the warning signs, it helps to understand what's at stake. Garage door springs counterbalance the full weight of your door. typically 150 to 400 pounds. making it light enough to lift with one hand or for your opener motor to handle without strain. When a spring fails, that counterbalance disappears, and the door becomes effectively deadweight. That's a safety issue, not just an inconvenience.
This is often the first thing homeowners notice. If you disconnect your opener and try to lift the door manually, it should rise smoothly with minimal effort. If it feels like you're lifting the door itself. rather than a counterbalanced panel. your springs have likely lost tension or failed. A door that feels heavy when lifted manually is a strong indicator that the springs are no longer doing their job.
A torsion spring breaking under tension can release energy violently, creating a sharp noise that sounds like a gunshot or a car backfiring. If you heard a sudden loud bang from your garage and your door now won't open properly, a broken spring is almost certainly the cause. Don't attempt to operate the door. call a professional right away.
If your opener runs but the door doesn't lift, or it only raises a few inches before stopping, the opener is likely straining against a door that's lost its spring support. Continuing to run the opener in this condition can burn out the motor or strip its gears. turning a spring replacement into a much more expensive repair.
Take a look at the torsion spring mounted horizontally above your garage door opening. A healthy spring looks like a tight, uniform coil. If you notice a gap of two inches or more between the coils, the spring has snapped. Rust is another red flag. a rusty spring is more brittle and prone to sudden failure, especially when temperatures drop. In Rehoboth's climate, where we see significant swings from sub-freezing winters to humid summers, moisture-driven corrosion on springs is a genuine issue. Inspect the coil visually every few months and look for rust, cracks, or any visible separation.
Garage doors typically use two springs. If one fails while the other still functions, the door will appear uneven or tilted as it opens and closes. This kind of imbalance puts extra stress on your opener, your cables, and the remaining spring. accelerating wear across the entire system. If your door looks crooked in motion, don't ignore it.
Your opener motor is not designed to lift the full weight of the door. that's the springs' job. If the opener seems to hum, hesitate, or quit partway through opening the door, it may be compensating for weak or broken springs. Left unchecked, this will eventually damage the opener motor itself. Check out our professional garage door services if you're seeing any of these symptoms. catching it early saves money.
Most standard torsion springs are rated for around 10,000 cycles. At an average of four cycles per day (opening and closing twice), that works out to roughly seven to nine years. Heavier doors, more frequent use, or springs that weren't sized correctly for the door can shorten that timeline significantly. If your Rehoboth home was built in the late 1970s or through the 1990s. which accounts for a large portion of the housing stock here. there's a real chance the springs have never been replaced.
We're not going to sugarcoat this: garage door spring replacement is genuinely dangerous. Springs operate under extreme tension. up to 400 pounds of stored force. When released improperly, they can cause serious injuries. Special winding bars and training are required, and a door without spring support can drop suddenly, crushing anything underneath. This is not a weekend project. It's a job for a trained technician with the right tools.
For a broader look at keeping your door safe and functional year-round, our guide on preparing your garage door for cold weather walks through seasonal maintenance steps that can extend the life of your springs.
Even if you're not replacing springs yourself, there are a few things any homeowner in Rehoboth can do to extend spring life:
- Lubricate springs every three months using a silicone-based spray. never WD-40 - Visually inspect the coil for gaps, rust, or discoloration each season - Test the door balance by lifting it manually to waist height. it should hold its position without drifting up or falling - Schedule a professional inspection once a year, ideally in the fall before the cold sets in
If you notice anything off, stop using the door and get in touch with us before the problem compounds.
Q: Can I still use my garage door if I think a spring is broken? A: No. Operating a door with a broken spring puts dangerous stress on the opener motor, cables, and the remaining spring. It also risks the door dropping suddenly. Stop using the door and call a professional.
Q: Do both springs need to be replaced at the same time? A: Yes, in most cases. When one spring breaks, the other is usually near the end of its life cycle too. Replacing both at once ensures even wear and saves you from another service call in a few months.
Q: How do I know if my home has torsion or extension springs? A: Torsion springs are mounted horizontally on a metal rod directly above the door opening. Extension springs run along the horizontal tracks on either side of the door. Most newer homes use torsion springs. if your Rehoboth home was built after the 1990s, that's likely what you have. Our FAQ page has more details on common spring questions.