2026-04-13 7 min read
If your garage door suddenly refused to open this morning, or you heard a loud bang from the garage and found the door dead in its tracks, there's a very good chance a spring has broken. It's one of the most common garage door problems in Burlingame. and one of the most misunderstood.
Before you grab a ladder and try to fix it yourself, read this first.
Garage door springs don't last forever. Most standard springs are rated for somewhere between 10,000 and 20,000 cycles. and a single cycle is just one open and one close. If your household uses the garage door four or five times a day, that adds up to roughly 7 to 14 years of life before the spring starts giving out.
But there's a wrinkle specific to the Bay Area: corrosion. Burlingame sits just a few miles from the San Francisco Bay, and the humidity here is persistent year-round. Average relative humidity hovers around 75% annually, and in winter months it can climb to 80%. That constant moisture accelerates rust on metal components, springs included. A spring that might last 12 years in a dry climate can start deteriorating noticeably sooner when it's cycling through Bay Area fog and salt-tinged air every day.
If you've noticed your springs looking a little rough. surface rust, unusual discoloration, visible pitting. that's worth paying attention to. You can learn more about how corrosion affects your entire door system in our post on why Burlingame garage doors rust faster.
Springs fail in a few recognizable ways. Here's what to look for:
- The door won't open at all. You hit the button, the opener motor strains or hums, but the door barely moves or doesn't move at all. - A loud bang came from the garage. A torsion spring snapping under tension sounds like a gunshot. If you heard something like that and now your door won't work, stop using the door immediately. - Visible gap in the spring coils. Healthy torsion spring coils sit tightly together. If you see a gap. usually an inch or two. that spring is broken. - The door feels extremely heavy when you try to lift it manually. A properly balanced door should feel like around 10 to 15 pounds when lifted by hand. If it feels like you're lifting the whole door's dead weight, the springs aren't doing their job. - Loose or dangling cables. When a spring breaks, the cables that run along the sides of the door often go slack and hang down. This is a telltale sign.
If any of these apply, it's time to call a professional. Check our full breakdown of early warning signs your door needs attention if you're not sure whether what you're seeing is serious.
Most homes in Burlingame. from the ranch-style homes in Mills Estates to the older Craftsman and Tudor builds in Easton Addition. use one of two spring types:
Torsion springs mount horizontally above the garage door opening on a metal shaft. They store energy by twisting as the door closes, then release it as the door opens. Most modern sectional doors use torsion springs. They're generally more durable and last longer.
Extension springs run along the horizontal tracks on either side of the door. They work by stretching and contracting. They're common in older homes and lighter doors, but they tend to wear out faster.
Knowing which type you have matters when it comes to both repair complexity and cost.
Let's be direct about pricing, because the range out there is genuinely wide and often confusing.
Nationally, spring replacement averages around $250 to $350 per spring, with a dual-spring job typically running $300 to $540. In the Bay Area specifically, you're generally looking at around $450 for a dual-spring replacement. less than some major metros, but more than rural areas, reflecting regional labor rates.
A few things that affect your final price:
- Spring type: Torsion spring jobs cost more than extension spring jobs due to the tools and skill required. - Door weight: Heavier two-car insulated steel doors need heavier-rated springs, which cost more. - Single vs. both springs: Technicians almost universally recommend replacing both springs at the same time, even if only one has broken. The logic is simple. if one failed, the other is close behind. Replacing both now saves you a second service call and keeps tension even across the door. - High-cycle upgrades: Standard springs are rated for 10,000 cycles. For a modest upcharge, you can get springs rated for 25,000 to 50,000 cycles or more. For a household that uses the garage door constantly, this is usually worth it.
If labor rates or pricing seem confusing, our FAQ page covers common questions about what's included in a spring job.
This is the part where we're going to be completely honest: garage door spring replacement is genuinely dangerous for anyone who isn't trained to do it. Torsion springs store enormous mechanical energy. enough to lift a door weighing 200 pounds or more thousands of times. A spring that releases unexpectedly during installation can cause serious injury.
Professional technicians use calibrated winding bars and follow strict safety procedures. They also inspect cables, drums, and the opener during the job. problems that often get missed entirely during a DIY attempt. The small amount of money saved rarely justifies the risk.
If you're dealing with a broken spring right now, get in touch with us directly to schedule a same-day assessment.
Spring life can be extended with regular lubrication. A silicone-based spray or dedicated garage door lubricant applied to the coils twice a year goes a long way. especially in Burlingame's humid climate. Avoid WD-40, which is a solvent, not a lubricant, and can actually strip away the protective coating on springs.
For a full checklist of what to maintain and when, our garage door maintenance guide has a practical seasonal breakdown.
A professional spring replacement typically takes 45 to 90 minutes, including removing the old springs, installing the new ones, checking cable condition, balancing the door, and testing the full system. Same-day service is available for most jobs.
You shouldn't. Running the opener with a broken spring forces the motor to work against the full weight of the door, which can burn out the opener. There's also a real risk of the door dropping suddenly if you try to operate it manually. Leave it alone until a technician arrives.
Look above the door when it's closed. If you see a horizontal spring mounted on a bar above the opening, you have a torsion spring system. If you see springs running along the side tracks, those are extension springs. When you call for service, a technician will confirm this and bring the right parts.