How long do garage door springs last?

It's the question everyone asks after a spring breaks: how long should these last? The honest answer is that it depends less on age than on use, because springs are rated in cycles, not years.

Springs are rated in cycles, not years

A standard garage door spring is typically rated for around 10,000 cycles. One cycle is a single open and a single close. So the spring's lifespan comes down to how often you use the door, not how many birthdays it's had.

What that means for your door

Do the math on your own habits. A household that opens the door about four times a day runs roughly 1,500 cycles a year, which puts a standard spring in the neighborhood of six to eight years. A busy family cycling the door eight or ten times a day can burn through the same spring in three or four. If your garage door is your main way in and out of the house, plan on the shorter end.

What shortens a spring's life

• Heavy use: the biggest factor, as above.
• Rust and salt air: corrosion weakens the steel and springs break sooner near the shore. More on that in our salt-air guide.
• Poor balance: a door that isn't balanced makes the spring and opener work harder.
• Cold snaps: steel is more brittle in a hard freeze, which is why so many springs let go on the first cold morning.
• One spring doing two springs' work: if one of a pair broke and only that one was replaced, the mismatch strains the newer one.

Signs a spring is near the end

Springs usually give some warning. Watch for a door that's suddenly heavy to lift by hand, that opens more slowly than it used to, that bounces or jerks, or a spring that looks stretched, rusty, or has visible gaps forming in the coil. If you catch it before it snaps, you can schedule the replacement instead of getting stranded.

Can you make springs last longer?

Somewhat. Keeping the door balanced, lubricating the springs a couple of times a year, and using corrosion-resistant hardware at the shore all help. And if you're replacing a spring on a high-use door, a high-cycle spring rated for 20,000 cycles or more can double the lifespan for a modest amount more, and it's often worth it if your door works hard.

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