Garage Door Spring Repair With the Door's Weight in Mind
Heard a bang, and now the door barely lifts? Leave it closed, keep everyone clear and tell Toyon what you saw and heard.
Open 24/7 · 105 Fremont Ave, Los Altos
You hear the cause and the amount first. No work begins without your go-ahead.
When Is Garage Door Spring Repair Needed?
When a spring snaps, the motor is left trying to lift weight the spring normally carries. A gap in the coil, a door that suddenly feels heavy or an opener that strains are reasons to stop using it. The DASMA inspection checklist says not to operate a door with a broken spring until it is replaced.
Four Checks Before the Motor Goes Back to Work
A new spring has to suit the door, not just look like the old coil. DASMA's spring cycle-life sheet lists a wrong-door spring, a door heavier than its rating and the wrong number of turns as causes of early trouble. A Toyon repair follows this order:
- Identify the door. We note its size, build and weight, including any panels, windows or trim added since the last spring went in.
- Inspect the lift system. We look over the shaft, bearings, drums and lift cables instead of fitting a new coil beside worn hardware.
- Fit and balance. We match the spring to the door, then check that it holds. DASMA's balance test expects a disconnected door to stay partly open, 3 to 4 feet above the floor.
- Restore powered travel. We reconnect the opener and test its safety reverse. If the motor still struggles, you may need opener repair.
This list shows what a technician checks. It is not a guide to winding a spring yourself, because DASMA's safety tips leave spring systems to trained professionals.
Spring Replacement: The Starting Figure
- Garage Door Spring Replacement per spring
- From $150
- Diagnostic Service Call $0 with a completed repair
- $0
The $150 figure is per spring. We count how many your door needs and name any other worn part before giving a job total. The $0 diagnostic call applies when the repair is completed.
What to Tell Us When the Garage Is Up a Hill
Steep drives, gates and detached garages change how we plan a visit, not whether the spring suits the door. When you call, mention the slope, any gate code and whether the garage stands apart from the house. Keep people and pets out of the opening until we arrive.
Power cuts add a wrinkle. PG&E asks customers to practice operating the garage door manually before a shutoff. Do that practice only on a door that works normally. A door with a suspected broken spring should not be operated at all.
If the door is crooked or noisy rather than heavy, read about track repair. If you cannot tell which part failed, start with garage door repair. We take requests from Los Altos, Los Altos Hills, Loyola and Portola Valley. Every starting figure is on the pricing page.
Questions About Spring Replacement
One spring snapped. Does the unbroken one need replacing too?
DASMA's safety tips say to replace both springs on a two-spring door, even if one is not broken. That prevents damage if the second spring breaks and keeps the door working efficiently. We state the parts count and price before you decide.
Can paint or added trim change which spring my door needs?
Yes. DASMA's spring guidance notes that paint or added components can push a door past its rated weight. Tell us what has been added so we can account for it.
Does a new spring mean a new opener?
Not by itself. A door that is out of balance can wear on other parts, so we check the opener after the door is balanced. We suggest opener work only if it still fails after that.