Garage door spring repair
One spring snapped and the other looks fine. Do both need replacing?
On a door with two springs, usually yes. The second one is the same age and has lifted the door the same number of times. Replacing only one is possible, and it is your call.
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Is this what you're seeing?
Your door has two springs on the bar above it and one has a gap in the coil.
There was a bang, and now the door lifts crooked, feels heavy or will not open.
The other spring looks fine, so a quote for two feels like an upsell.
You have been asked whether you want one spring or both, and want to know what is normal.
What's going on
Most two-car doors have two torsion springs on one bar, installed together and sized to share the lift. They have the same rated cycle life, and every time the door goes up and down they each take the same turn. One breaks first, but it only beat the other by a little.
With one spring gone, the door is out of balance and the remaining spring is carrying load it was not sized for. Running the door like that is how a second spring, a cable or the opener ends up damaged.
Our records show that replacing both is the normal job. The one-spring jobs we did were for a door that only had one spring, a customer who asked for just one, or a second spring that had been replaced recently and was still under warranty.
What to do right now
Do
Leave the door where it is and unplug the opener.
Look above the door and count the springs, so you can tell us whether you have one or two.
Tell us if either spring was replaced before, and roughly when.
Don't
Don’t run the door on the opener with one spring broken.
Don’t pull the red emergency release with the door open. Without the spring, the door can drop.
Don’t touch the winding cones or the bar. They hold dangerous tension.
How we fix it
This is a garage door spring repair. On a two-spring door we replace both in the same visit and balance the door. If you want only the broken one done, say so when you book. Here is how that split looks in our job records.
What the work involved
- Both springs replaced829 of 839 jobs
- One spring replaced10 of 839 jobs
- One-spring replacement jobs since 2022
- 10
Recent jobs like this
Aug 2026
LakewoodFound
An 8x7 wood door with a single spring needed it replaced.
Fixed
Took the torsion system apart, replaced the spring and reset the system.
Apr 2026
LakewoodFound
One spring needed replacing.
Fixed
Replaced the one spring.
Dec 2025
LakewoodFound
The spring on the right side was the one that needed replacing.
Fixed
Replaced the right-hand spring only.
May 2025
Denver metroFound
One spring, on the left side, needed replacing.
Fixed
Replaced the left spring only.
Jun 2024
West metroFound
The customer asked for only one spring to be changed.
Fixed
Replaced the one spring, as asked.
Jul 2023
Denver metroFound
One spring broke, and the record notes a maintenance limit on the visit.
Fixed
Replaced only the broken spring.
Repair or replace?
A spring, even a pair, is a repair and not a reason to replace the door. If the door is also badly damaged, see new garage door installation.
Related questions
Should I replace one garage door spring or both?
Replacing one garage door spring to save money usually costs more later. On a two spring door, replacing both at once is the smarter call. Here is why.
Read full answerDo I need to replace both garage door springs even if only one broke?
Yes, replacing both springs at the same time is strongly recommended even if only one broke.
Read full answerCan I use my garage door if one spring is broken?
Why did my garage door spring break?
Garage door springs break from normal cycle wear, age, rust, cold Denver mornings, and skipped maintenance. Here are the real causes and how to slow them.
Read full answerHow long do garage door springs last?
How long do garage door springs last? Most last 7 to 10 years, or about 10,000 cycles. Denver cold and daily use shorten that. Here's what affects it.
Read full answerRelated services
Parts mentioned
Get a straight answer on one spring or two
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