Know which type you have — and what breaks differently between the two.
Most garage doors use one of two spring types: torsion springs or extension springs. They accomplish the same job — counterbalancing the door's weight so the opener and you don't have to lift it alone — but they work differently, wear differently, and carry different safety risks.
Torsion springs are mounted horizontally above the door opening on a metal shaft. When the door closes, the springs wind up and store energy. When the door opens, that energy unwinds to lift the door. Most newer homes in the St. Louis area use torsion springs.
Lifespan: Standard torsion springs are rated for approximately 10,000 cycles. At two open/close cycles per day, that's roughly 13 years. High-cycle upgrades (15,000 or 25,000 cycles) are available and significantly extend service life.
Safety: When a torsion spring breaks, it stays on the shaft. The failure is controlled — typically a loud bang, and the door stops working. This is safer than the extension spring alternative.
Extension springs run along the horizontal tracks on each side of the door. They stretch when the door closes and contract when it opens. Older homes and some lighter doors (single-car) may still use extension springs.
Lifespan: Extension springs are also typically rated around 10,000 cycles, though they can wear faster depending on usage and tension.
Safety: When an extension spring breaks under tension, it can snap and fly. Safety cables threaded through the spring reduce this risk — if you have extension springs without safety cables, that's worth addressing. Jerry checks for this on every tune-up visit.
Yes — most two-car doors and many single-car doors can be converted to a torsion spring system. The conversion typically costs more upfront but provides a smoother, more balanced lift, longer spring life, and improved safety. If your extension springs are near end of life, it's worth asking about conversion at the same time.
Not sure which type you have or whether a conversion makes sense? Call 314-897-4721 and Jerry can walk you through it.
Look above the door opening when it's closed. If you see a horizontal metal bar with a spring wound around it, those are torsion springs. If you see springs running along the tracks on the sides of the door, those are extension springs.
Torsion springs are generally preferred for two-car and heavier doors — they provide more balanced lifting, fail more safely, and can be upgraded to higher cycle ratings. Extension springs work fine for lighter single-car doors and are less expensive to replace.
Springs cannot be repaired once broken — they must be replaced. When one breaks on a two-spring system, replacing both at the same time is usually the smart move since the second spring is typically near the same point in its life cycle.
One cycle equals one complete open and one complete close. If you use your garage twice a day (morning exit, evening return), that's two cycles per day. A 10,000-cycle spring at that rate lasts about 13 years.