How Long Do Garage Door Springs Last?

What does it really mean when you ask how long door springs last? Let’s explore more about garage door springs and their lifespan.

Springs are a critical component of your garage door. Without springs you would not be able to raise the door.

Even if with a garage door opener, you still need springs. Springs carry the weight of the door, so every time you open and close your door, the springs are used.

There are different types of garage door springs, torsion springs and extension springs. Most doors these days use torsion springs.

For the purpose of lifespan, we’ll assume torsion springs. However, the lifespan for either is similar.

Lifespan vs. Cycles

When people ask how long a garage door spring lasts, they’re usually thinking in terms of how many years. But in the garage door industry, we use different criteria.

We consider the lifespan of door springs in terms of cycles. In other words, how many times it is used.

Every time you open and then close the door, that is one complete cycle. So if you leave your home for work and then return later that day, you used two cycles. That equals roughly 720 cycles in a year.

The average lifespan of a spring is about 10,000 cycles (there are other factors, which we’ll mention later).

Examples of Typical Garage Door Use

So for example, if you only leave and then return home once a day, 10,000 cycles total, divided by 720 cycles in a year = roughly 14 years.

If you leave your house and return two separate times, that would be four cycles. In that case the lifespan would be roughly 7 years.

If you leave and return four separate times, that would eight cycles. Then the lifespan would be roughly 3.5 years.

This is just a rough guide. But you can get an idea of how many years your springs might last. Just estimate how often you use your garage door on an average day.

Other Factors That Affect how long garage springs last

Several factors can change the number of cycles a spring actually lasts.

Door Weight Can Affect how long they last

The weight of the door is one factor. Some garage door types are much heavier than others. A standard two-car garage door made of steel and not insulated can weigh roughly 150 pounds. A wood door can easily be double that weight, maybe even more.

A heavier door will obviously put more wear on the springs. If the correct springs are not used, you might get much less than the typical 10,000 cycles.

Durability of Springs Affect HOw Long they last

The durability of the springs also affects its lifespan. You can choose extended life springs. Also called high cycle springs, they last longer than standard springs.

If your door uses torsion springs, it may have been installed with only one spring instead of two. A single spring may be adequate to balance the weight of the door, but it may cause uneven wear to other parts of the system.

We usually recommend converting to using two springs. In addition to better balance, if one spring breaks, you will still have the other spring providing some force.

Maintenance Can Affect the Lifespan of garage door springs

Proper garage door maintenance can keep everything operating at peak efficiency.

Friction is the big cause of increased wear. Anything that causes unnecessary friction will put extra wear on the springs.

Springs experience friction when they are being wound and unwound. Lubricating the springs will minimize the friction.

Rust on the springs can also cause increased friction as the coil winds and unwinds. Keeping the springs lubricated will help minimize rust on the coils by adding a protective layer.

Lubricating the rollers will further reduce friction on a moving door (this is just one of the items we do during a standard maintenance visit).

Ideal Garage Doors offers regular maintenance to keep your door in top shape. This will not prevent your springs from breaking, but it can definitely increase their lifespan.

Another benefit of regular maintenance visits is that we can notice signs that your springs need to be replaced. Replacing your springs before they actually break is a good way to prevent an emergency.

When a spring breaks, it’s rarely at a convenient time. If you need to get your car out of the garage, you’ll need to wait for a repairman, which is what we highly recommend. It’s possible to manually open a garage door with a broken spring, but it can be dangerous and we don’t recommend it.

If you need garage door spring repair in Dallas County, Ideal Garage Doors is your friendly local pro. We can recommend the best replacement springs for your specific situation.

Need Garage Door service?

For garage door repairs in Dallas County, call the experts at Ideal Garage Doors. We are available nights and weekends for emergency garage door service.

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You don’t have to break the bank for quality garage door service.

We offer discounts to our first responders and military personnel throughout the community.

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For faster service call (972) 757-5016.

We proudly serve clients throughout Dallas, Garland, Rowlett, McKinney, Plano, Richardson, Sachse, Wylie, Murphy, Frisco, Allen, Fairview, and surrounding areas.