Garage Door Spring Repair & Replacement in Calgary

Why a broken garage door spring is a job for a trained technician, how to spot one, and published Calgary prices for spring replacement.

Springs carry the weight of the door. Torsion springs are usually mounted above the door header, and extension springs usually sit next to the horizontal tracks. DASMA, the door industry's trade association, says springs and spring hardware are under high tension, and warns that serious injury or death may occur. It says that if a spring is broken, the door should not be operated until the spring is replaced, and that owners should not try to remove, repair or adjust springs.

Look, but don't touch. With the door closed, a broken torsion spring often shows a gap in the coil above the door, about two inches by one company's account. A door that suddenly feels very heavy, or one that lifts a few inches and stops, can also point to a spring. Chamberlain warns that if the springs are weak or broken, a door may fall rapidly and without warning.

One spring seller says standard residential torsion springs are commonly designed for about 10,000 cycles, one cycle being a full open and close, and that this is an estimate and not a guarantee. At two cycles a day that works out to nearly 14 years, and at four a day to about 7. Ask the shop for the rated cycles of the springs it quotes, and what warranty, if any, it offers in writing.

Some doors have two springs, and Calgary companies price one spring and a pair differently, so ask which the quote covers. After any spring work, Chamberlain says the opener's safety reversal test must be repeated.

Common jobs

• Torsion spring replacement, one or a pair
• Extension spring replacement
• Containment cables for extension springs
• Door balance check after spring work

Have this ready when you call

• Whether the door is open or closed, and whether a vehicle is trapped
• Single or double door, and whether you can see one spring or two
• Whether the springs are above the door or along the tracks
• Your community or town

Common questions