Garage Door Spring Warning Signs Burlington Homeowners Shouldn't Ignore
2026-03-21 6 min read
Most Burlington homeowners don't think about their garage door springs until something goes badly wrong. You hit the button, the opener hums, and the door barely moves. or you hear a sound like a gunshot from the garage and come out to find the door sagging. At that point, you're looking at an emergency repair, a blocked vehicle, and potentially a safety hazard.
The good news is that springs rarely fail without warning. The problem is most people don't know what to look for. If you're in a home in Millcroft, The Orchard, or Brant Hills. where many of the houses are from the late 1980s through early 2000s. your springs may well be approaching or past their expected service life without you realizing it.
How Garage Door Springs Actually Work
Torsion springs are the horizontal coils mounted above the door opening. They use torque to lift the door and are the more common type in modern Burlington homes. Extension springs run along the horizontal tracks on either side of the door and are more common in older systems.
Garage door springs are rated by cycles. one cycle equals one full open and close. Most standard springs are rated for around 10,000 cycles, which at typical household use translates to roughly 7 to 9 years. Homes with multiple cars and busy families. think school runs, commutes to Hamilton or Oakville, weekend errands. may burn through that cycle count significantly faster.
The springs are what make a 150 to 300-pound door feel manageable. Without them, your opener motor would be trying to lift the full dead weight of the door, which it isn't designed to do. That's why a failing spring doesn't just inconvenience you. it can burn out your motor and damage other components in the process.
7 Warning Signs Your Springs Are Failing
1. The Door Feels Unusually Heavy
This is often the first thing homeowners notice. Try disconnecting your opener and lifting the door manually to about waist height. A properly balanced door should stay there with minimal effort. If it falls back down, or feels like you're lifting dead weight, your springs are likely losing tension. This is a common issue covered in detail on our services page. and one that professionals can diagnose quickly.
2. The Door Won't Stay Open
If the door drifts back down after you've raised it, the spring system is no longer holding the counterbalance. This is a genuine safety hazard. a door that drops unexpectedly is a serious crush risk, particularly for children and pets.
3. A Visible Gap in the Spring
Take a look at your torsion springs above the door. A healthy spring is one continuous coil. If you notice a gap of roughly two inches or more, the spring has snapped. This is a clear sign to stop using the door immediately and call for service. Do not attempt to open it manually or with the opener.
4. A Loud Bang Coming From the Garage
When a torsion spring breaks, it releases stored tension all at once. The sound is often compared to a gunshot or a car backfiring. loud enough to startle people in other rooms. If you hear this and your door stops working, a broken spring is almost certainly the cause.
5. The Door Opens Unevenly or Looks Crooked
If one spring fails while the other is still functioning, the door will lift unevenly. tilting to one side or appearing to drag. Uneven movement puts serious stress on the cables and tracks as well, so this problem tends to escalate quickly if left alone. In this situation, cables often take secondary damage, which is why it's worth reading our cable repair guide to understand the full picture.
6. Rust or Visible Corrosion on the Coils
Burlington's climate. with its wet springs, humid summers along Lake Ontario, and road salt blowing in during winter. creates real corrosion risk for metal garage components. Rust weakens the structural integrity of the spring and makes it far more likely to snap under tension. If you see orange discolouration on the coils, schedule an inspection. Rust doesn't get better on its own.
7. The Opener Strains, Hums, or Stops Mid-Lift
If your opener sounds like it's working harder than usual, or stops partway through lifting the door, it may be compensating for a spring that's no longer doing its job. Continued use in this state can burn out the motor or strip the gears. turning a spring replacement into a much more expensive repair. Understanding the differences between opener types can help you make smart decisions here. our opener types comparison post is a good reference.
Why Springs Are Not a DIY Repair
This needs to be said plainly: garage door spring replacement is one of the most dangerous home repairs a person can attempt without proper training and tools. Springs are under extreme tension. when released incorrectly, they can cause broken fingers, facial injuries, or worse. Without spring support, a door weighing up to 300 pounds can drop suddenly.
Professional technicians use specialized winding bars, follow precise tensioning procedures, and test door balance after installation. Most spring replacements take 60 to 90 minutes when done by someone who knows what they're doing. It's not a job worth cutting corners on.
How Often Should Springs Be Inspected?
Annually is the right answer, especially for homes that use the garage as the primary entry point. At a minimum, do a visual check of the coils twice a year. once before winter sets in, and once in spring. Look for rust, gaps, elongation, or any visible deformation. If your springs are more than seven years old and you haven't had them inspected, now is a reasonable time to arrange it.
Garage Door Burlington offers professional spring inspections and replacements for homeowners across Burlington and the surrounding Halton Region. Contact us to schedule a service visit. catching a worn spring before it snaps is always less expensive and less stressful than dealing with a door that won't open on a busy weekday morning.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I still use my garage door if one spring is broken? Technically the door may still partially move, but you shouldn't use it. A single functioning spring puts uneven strain on the door, cables, and opener motor, and can cause additional damage quickly. If a spring has broken, stop using the door and call a professional.
Should I replace both springs at the same time, even if only one broke? Yes. and this is a recommendation any reputable technician will make. If one spring has failed after years of use, the other is at a similar point in its cycle count and likely to fail soon. Replacing both at once ensures even wear and saves you from scheduling another service call in a few weeks.
How do I know if I have torsion or extension springs? Torsion springs are mounted horizontally above the door opening on a metal bar. Extension springs run along the horizontal overhead tracks on each side of the door and stretch as the door closes. Most Burlington homes built after the mid-1990s use torsion springs, which are more durable and offer smoother operation.