2026-04-07 7 min read
If you've ever pulled into your driveway after a long commute and hit the button on your remote. only to hear a loud bang followed by a door that won't budge. there's a good chance your garage door spring just gave out. It's one of the most common calls we get here in San Dimas, and it happens more often than most homeowners expect.
San Dimas sits in the San Gabriel Valley, tucked against the foothills of the San Gabriel Mountains. With temperatures swinging from the mid-40s on winter nights up to 90°F or higher during those brutal August afternoons, your garage door hardware goes through real stress year-round. Springs expand and contract with every temperature shift, and after thousands of cycles, they simply wear out.
Your garage door doesn't lift itself. it's the springs doing all the heavy lifting. There are two main types found in San Dimas homes:
- Torsion springs sit horizontally above the door opening, wound tight on a metal shaft. Most newer homes in the Via Verde and San Dimas South neighborhoods use these. They're stronger, last longer, and are the safer design. - Extension springs run along the sides of the door tracks. They're more common in older homes built before the late 1990s and are more affordable to replace, though they tend to wear out faster.
Both types work by storing mechanical energy as the door closes, then releasing it to help lift the door when you open it. When a spring breaks, that energy transfer disappears. and suddenly your opener motor is trying to lift a several-hundred-pound door on its own. That's when motors burn out.
Don't wait for a full break. Here are the signs that spring replacement is coming soon:
Disconnect your opener and try to lift the door manually. A properly balanced door with good springs should rise smoothly and stay put at about waist height. If it feels like you're deadlifting a truck, the springs have lost tension.
Torsion springs, when broken, will show a visible gap in the coil. often an inch or more. It's hard to miss if you know to look for it. Check the springs above the door regularly as part of your routine. Our guide on warning signs to watch for in San Dimas covers this in more detail.
If one side rises faster than the other, or the door looks tilted, it usually means one spring has failed on a dual-spring system. The remaining spring is working overtime and will likely snap soon too.
A broken torsion spring sounds exactly like a gunshot or a car backfiring. If you hear that sound coming from your garage. especially at night when temperature drops cause metal to contract. inspect your springs immediately.
In the Los Angeles County area, spring replacement isn't cheap, but it's not a budget-breaker either. Based on current pricing in the region:
- Extension spring replacement: typically $120,$200 per spring, parts and labor included - Torsion spring replacement: runs $200,$500+ for a single spring in LA County, depending on door size and weight - Both springs replaced at once: the smart move, and most techs will offer a slight discount versus two separate visits
One practical tip: always replace both springs at the same time, even if only one broke. Springs are sold and rated in matched pairs, and when one breaks, the other is usually close behind. You'll save on labor by doing both in a single visit. and avoid being stuck in your driveway again three months later.
If you're also dealing with worn cables, bent tracks, or a struggling opener, factor those into the quote. You can review the full range of repair and replacement services we offer to get a sense of what a complete tune-up might involve.
This comes up constantly, so let's be direct about it: garage door spring replacement is one of the most dangerous DIY jobs in home repair. Torsion springs are wound under extreme tension. enough to cause serious injury or death if mishandled. A spring that snaps during installation can do significant damage to your hands, face, or anything else nearby.
The tools required are specialized (winding bars, clamps, proper hardware), and the process requires knowing the exact spring specifications for your door's weight and height. Getting this wrong doesn't just mean a door that doesn't work. it means a door that can come crashing down unexpectedly.
For most homeowners in San Dimas and nearby Glendora, the $200,$500 professional cost is genuinely worth it for the safety and peace of mind alone.
Standard springs are rated for about 10,000 cycles. If you open your garage door four times a day (twice in, twice out), that's roughly 1,460 cycles per year. meaning a standard spring will last about 7 years. Upgrade to a high-cycle spring rated for 25,000,30,000 cycles, and you're looking at 17,20 years of service life. Ask your technician about high-cycle options when you're getting a replacement. the upcharge is usually modest and pays off in the long run.
Ready to get your springs checked or replaced? Contact our team for a straightforward quote. no pressure, no upselling.
Q: Can I still use my garage door if a spring is broken? Technically the motor may force it open, but you absolutely shouldn't. Operating the door with a broken spring puts massive strain on the opener motor and cables, and can cause the door to drop suddenly. Treat a broken spring like a flat tire. don't drive on it.
Q: How do I know if I have torsion or extension springs? Look above the door when it's closed. If you see a horizontal bar with a tight coil of metal running along it, those are torsion springs. If you see springs running parallel to the horizontal tracks on either side of the door, those are extension springs.
Q: Is it worth upgrading to higher-cycle springs when I replace them? Almost always, yes. Standard springs are rated for around 10,000 cycles. High-cycle springs rated for 25,000+ cycles cost modestly more but last two to three times longer. a worthwhile investment for a door you use every day.