That Loud Bang Was Probably a Spring
If you heard a loud bang from your garage. something like a gunshot or a heavy object falling. there's a good chance a torsion spring just snapped. It's startling, but it's also one of the most common garage door issues in Raleigh. It happens thousands of times a year across the Triangle.
Here's what you need to know about what happened, what to do next, and what the repair looks like.
What Garage Door Springs Actually Do
Your garage door is heavy. A standard two-car steel door weighs between 200 and 300 pounds. The springs. mounted on a shaft above the door opening. store mechanical energy that counterbalances that weight. When the springs are working, the door feels almost weightless to the opener motor. When a spring breaks, the opener is suddenly trying to lift hundreds of pounds it wasn't designed to handle.
There are two types of springs used in Raleigh homes:
- Torsion springs: Mounted horizontally above the door on a metal shaft. These are the most common in homes built after the 1990s, and they're what most Raleigh homes have.
- Extension springs: Mounted along the horizontal tracks on either side. More common in older homes and single-car garages. You'll see these in some older neighborhoods in Holly Springs and Fuquay-Varina.
Both types have a limited lifespan measured in cycles. one cycle equals one open and one close. A standard spring is rated for about 10,000 cycles. If you open your garage door four times a day, that's roughly seven years of life.
What Happens When a Spring Breaks
The moment a spring snaps, several things happen:
- You hear a loud bang or snap
- The door becomes extremely heavy. too heavy for the opener to lift
- If the door was open when the spring broke, it may slam shut suddenly
- The opener may hum and strain but not move the door
- You might see a visible gap in the spring coil
If the door was down when the spring broke, it will stay down. If it was up, it may have come crashing down. Either way, stop using the opener immediately. Running the motor against a dead spring will burn it out.
Is It Dangerous?
A broken spring itself, once it's broken, isn't going to hurt anyone. the energy has already been released. But the situation is dangerous in other ways:
- The door could fall unexpectedly if it's partially open
- Attempting to manually lift a door without spring counterbalance can cause back injuries
- Trying to repair springs yourself without proper tools and training can result in serious injury or death. this is not an exaggeration
Torsion springs are wound to extreme tension. The tools used to wind and unwind them are specialized, and one slip can send a winding bar flying. This is genuinely one of the few home repairs that every professional will tell you not to DIY.
What to Do Right Now
If your spring just broke:
- Do not try to open the door with the opener
- Do not try to lift the door manually
- If the door is partially open, do not walk or park under it
- If your car is trapped inside, you'll need to wait for a repair. there's no safe way to get it open without working springs
If you need to secure the garage, make sure the door is fully down and locked from the inside. Most garage doors have a manual lock slide on the inside.
What the Repair Looks Like
A spring replacement is one of the most straightforward garage door repairs. Here's the typical process:
- A technician inspects the springs, cables, and drums
- They unwind the broken spring (or whatever tension remains) safely
- They remove the old spring and install a new one matched to your door's weight and size
- They wind the new spring to the correct tension
- They test the door balance and opener operation
- The whole job usually takes 45 minutes to an hour
Most technicians serving the Raleigh area carry standard spring sizes on their trucks, so same-day repair is normal. If your door uses an unusual spring size, it might take an extra day to source the part.
Should You Replace Both Springs?
If your door has two torsion springs (most double-car doors do), and one breaks, the other is likely close behind. They were installed at the same time and have the same number of cycles on them.
Replacing both springs at once costs more upfront but saves you from a second service call in a few months. Most professionals in the garage door repair in Holly Springs and garage door repair in Fuquay-Varina area will recommend this, and it's genuinely good advice. not an upsell.
Upgrading to High-Cycle Springs
Standard springs are rated for 10,000 cycles. High-cycle springs are available in 25,000 and even 50,000-cycle ratings. They cost more. roughly 30 to 50 percent more. but they last two to five times as long.
If you plan to stay in your home long-term, high-cycle springs are worth the investment. They're especially popular in neighborhoods around garage door repair in Apex where homeowners tend to stay put.
Preventing Future Breaks
You can't prevent springs from eventually wearing out, but you can extend their life:
- Lubricate the springs twice a year with a silicone-based spray (not WD-40)
- Schedule an annual tune-up that includes a spring inspection
- Pay attention to signs of wear: the door feeling heavier, the opener straining, or visible rust on the coils
Raleigh's humidity accelerates rust, which weakens springs. A light coat of lubricant protects against moisture and keeps the coils moving smoothly.
Getting It Fixed
Spring repair is one of the most common calls in the garage door industry. If you're in Raleigh or the surrounding area, a technician can typically be at your home within a few hours. Request a free quote to get started.