A sharp crack from the garage, and now the opener strains and quits a few inches up. That is almost always a spring. Leave the door closed and call. We size the new springs to your door and set the balance before we leave.
In short: A broken spring means the door is now far too heavy for the opener. Keep it closed and keep people away from it. Around Madison, one torsion spring usually costs $220 to $320, and a matched pair usually costs $320 to $420. A set of extension springs usually costs $180 to $280. These are reference ranges. We confirm the price on site before we start.
If you are not sure, our post on what to do when a spring breaks lists what to look for and the safe next steps.
A garage door spring stores enough force to lift a door that can weigh a couple hundred pounds. When it lets go, all that weight lands on the cables, the opener, and anyone trying to lift it. A few rules keep people safe while you wait:
Most newer doors in Dane County use torsion springs. Some older and single-car doors still run on extension springs.
| Type | Where it sits | How it works | Safety note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Torsion | On a steel bar across the top of the door opening | The spring twists as the door closes, then turns the bar and drums to help lift it | If it breaks, it stays on the bar. Winding it is still a job for a tech with proper bars. |
| Extension | Along each upper track, running toward the back wall | The springs stretch as the door closes and pull on cables and pulleys to help lift it | Each spring needs a safety cable through its middle so a break cannot whip across the garage. |
If you want the longer version, read torsion versus extension springs.
Many doors carry two springs. They went in on the same day and have done the same work every day since. When one breaks, the other is close behind. Doing both at once keeps the two sides even, and you avoid paying for another trip a few months later. On a door with a single spring, we replace that one spring.
A spring is chosen by the weight and height of the door. We look at the wire thickness, the inside width of the coil, the length, and which way it winds. Then we check the door itself. A door that picked up insulation, a new window section, or a few coats of paint over the years may weigh more than it did on day one. A spring sized for the old weight leaves the door heavy, and the opener pays for it.
You can also ask about higher-cycle springs. They use thicker, longer wire, cost more up front, and wear out later. For a garage that opens many times a day, they are often worth it. We explain the trade on site and let you pick.
More springs break on cold mornings. The first lift of the day puts the whole load on a spring that has sat still all night. Rust makes it worse. Salt and damp air in a Wisconsin garage leave a crust between the coils that adds friction every cycle. A light coat of garage door lubricant on the coils once or twice a year helps. Our post on spring life in Wisconsin explains how to guess how much life yours have left.
For a step-by-step look at the work, see how spring replacement works. For more on price, read spring repair cost in Madison.
Spring calls come to us from across the Madison area. That covers Madison itself plus Fitchburg, Verona, Middleton, and Sun Prairie.
Call or text. If you can, send a picture of the springs over the door, taken from a safe spot. It tells us the spring type and often the size. The estimate is free, and you hear the price before any work begins. When parts are on hand, same-day repair is often possible.
Please leave it closed. With a spring gone, the door weighs its full weight, and the opener was never built to carry that. Lifting it by hand is how people hurt their backs or get a door dropped on them. If your car is stuck inside, tell us when you call so we can plan around it.
Each spring is built to handle a set number of trips up and down. That means a family that uses the garage as its front door wears springs out much faster than someone who opens it twice a day. Count how many times your door runs on a normal day and you have a rough idea of how fast yours are aging.
On a door with two extension springs, a broken spring on one side makes that side lag. On a torsion door, a slipped or broken cable does the same thing. Stop using the door. A crooked door can jump its track and turn a spring job into a bigger one.
Yes. We replace springs on most brands of door. We measure the old springs and weigh the door so the new ones fit your door as it is today.
Often, yes. It takes a torsion bar, a center bracket, drums, and new cables, so it is a bigger job than a straight swap. The upside is a smoother door and springs that stay on the bar if they break. We look at your headroom and price it on site.
