Garage Door Tension Springs Services
Need reliable garage door tension springs repair or replacement services? CHS Garage Door Repair replaces snapped, worn, and failing tension springs safely. A broken spring means your door won’t lift. We serve Seattle, WA and surrounding communities with premium, high-cycle spring replacements.
Understanding Garage Door Tension Springs
Tension springs, commonly referred to as extension springs, stretch and contract alongside the door tracks to counterbalance the immense weight of the door. While torsion springs mount above the door and twist, tension springs run horizontally along the tracks. When a tension spring breaks, your door will become extremely heavy or get stuck, creating a serious safety hazard and requiring emergency garage door repair.
- High-cycle durable steel springs
- Safe tension release and installation
- Prevents opener motor burnout
- Restores smooth, quiet lifting
- Dual-spring conversion options
- 1-Year parts and labor warranty
Signs You Need Spring Replacement
Tension springs wear down with every open and close cycle. Here are the signs it’s time to call us in Bothell, Redmond, or Mill Creek.
Loud Bang from Garage
When a tension spring finally breaks under tension, it sounds like a gunshot or a firecracker going off inside your garage.
Door is Too Heavy
If you try to lift the door manually and it feels incredibly heavy or slams down rapidly, the spring has lost tension or snapped.
Visible Gap in Spring
Look up at the rod directly above your closed door. If you see a clear 2-inch gap dividing the coiled spring, it is completely broken.
Door Opens Slightly then Stops
If your opener lifts the door about 6 inches and then stops, its safety mechanism has detected the dead weight because the spring has failed.
Slack in Cables
When a spring breaks, the cables that wrap around the drum lose their tension and often dangle loosely or wrap around the torsion tube.
Crooked Door
A spring break can jar the system so violently that the cables slip off the drums, causing the door to sit crooked or become completely wedged.
Tension Spring Repair Done Right the First Time
Tension springs store a massive amount of kinetic energy. Replacing them without proper training and safety cables is extremely dangerous. A snapping tension spring can fly off at high speeds, causing severe injury or property damage. Always trust a professional CHS Garage Repair technician for tension spring replacements.
Written Estimate First
Itemized cost provided before any work begins. No surprise charges.
WA Licensed & Insured
License #CHSGAGD820QO. Full liability and workers' comp coverage.
Stocked Service Vehicles
Cables, drums, and hardware on board — most replacements completed same visit.
1-Year Parts Warranty
All cable replacements backed by a 1-year parts and labor warranty.
Snohomish County Service Areas
King County Service Areas
Garage Door Tension Spring Repair — FAQ
We strongly advise against it. Tension springs hold an immense amount of stored energy. If they are not properly secured with safety cables and handled correctly, a snapping spring can act like a projectile, causing severe injuries or property damage.
Yes. If your door has a two-spring system and one breaks, the second spring has endured the exact same amount of wear and tear and is likely days or weeks away from snapping. Replacing both saves you a second service call.
Standard builder-grade springs are rated for about 10,000 cycles (one open/close). If you open your door 3 times a day, they last about 7 to 9 years. We offer high-cycle upgrades that can last twice as long. Regular maintenance also extends lifespan.
Most likely, the spring is broken, not the motor. The opener is only designed to guide a balanced door, not lift the entire 200lb dead weight. If you force the opener to run with a broken spring, you will strip the gears or burn out the motor.
Safety cables are secondary cables threaded through extension springs. If an extension spring breaks, the safety cable contains the spring so it does not become a projectile inside the garage. Washington State building codes and most manufacturer guidelines recommend safety cables on all extension spring systems. Our technicians verify safety cable condition and installation during cable replacement service.
Yes — cable failure is one of the most common causes of off-track garage doors. When one side loses tension, the door lifts unevenly and can pull rollers outside the track system. One side may rise normally while the other drags or jams. Continuing to run the opener after a cable failure worsens structural damage and can bend track sections or damage door panels. If the door has already left the tracks, additional repairs will be needed before safe operation resumes.
Other Garage Door Services
Spring Repair
Torsion and extension spring replacement throughout Seattle.
Off-Track Repair
Roller and track realignment for doors that have left the track.
Opener Services
Opener repair, replacement, and smart system installation.
Preventive Maintenance
Full system inspection, lubrication, and balance check.
Bent Track Repair
Track straightening and replacement for damaged or misaligned tracks.
Door Replacement
Full garage door replacement when repair is no longer practical.
Damaged Cables? Don’t Operate the Door.
A broken or frayed cable is a safety issue. Our licensed technicians serve Seattle, Bothell, Redmond, Bellevue, Kirkland, Lynnwood, Edmonds, Everett, Mill Creek, and surrounding communities — call to schedule a same-visit inspection.