Garage Door Spring Replacement in McDonough
If you heard a bang in the garage and now the door will not lift, this is almost certainly the page you need. Springs are the part that does the lifting, and they are the part that breaks.
Torsion or extension: which you have
Torsion springs
One or two large coiled springs on a steel bar running across the top of the door opening, inside the garage. They twist to store energy and unwind as the door rises. Most two-car doors in Henry County subdivisions built since the 1990s have torsion springs, usually two of them. When one breaks you can see it: a clean gap of an inch or two in the coil.
Extension springs
Long springs running along the horizontal tracks on each side of the ceiling, stretching as the door closes. Common on older single doors and on some budget installations. When one breaks it can whip, which is why each one should have a safety cable threaded through it. If yours do not, ask for them to be added at the same time.
Why it matters for the quote
The two systems use different parts and different labour, and a door with extension springs can sometimes be converted to torsion. Tell the company which you have when you call, or send a photo of the top of the door from inside the garage.
Why they break
Every spring has a cycle rating, and the standard one is about ten thousand. One cycle is the door going up and coming down once. A family using the garage as the main entrance runs four or more cycles a day, so a builder's spring lasts something like seven years, less in a house with teenage drivers.
In McDonough that maths catches up with a lot of houses at once, because so much of the city was built in the same twenty years. A house in Lake Dow North or The Farm built around 2000 has been through two or three sets. A house in one of the 2025 communities will not need its first for years.
Cold weather is the other factor. Metal that is close to failing tends to fail when it is coldest, and the first freezing mornings of winter bring a run of broken springs across the county. January 2026, with its ice storm, produced the highest search volume for garage door repair in McDonough of any month in the past year.
A broken spring is the call local garage door companies take most often. Call with the door size and whether it is one spring or two, and the company can usually bring the right ones on the first visit.
What a proper replacement involves
The spring is matched to the door, not picked from a shelf. Wire size, inside diameter and length are chosen for the weight and height of your particular door. A spring that is slightly wrong will still lift the door, but it will leave it out of balance and shorten the opener's life.
On a two-spring door both springs are normally replaced together, because the unbroken one has done the same number of cycles and is close behind. The cables are inspected for fraying where they took the shock of the break, the drums and centre bearing are checked, and the door is balanced afterwards so it stays at waist height when lifted by hand.
Ask about high-cycle springs. They cost more and last two or three times as long, which on a door that moves four or more times a day is often the cheaper choice over the life of the house.
What it costs in McDonough
Local companies generally quote $250 to $500 to replace a pair of torsion springs on a two-car door, including the visit. A single-spring door or a pair of extension springs often comes in lower; a heavy insulated or wood door, high-cycle springs, or a cable replaced at the same time pushes it up. Be wary of a headline price that seems far below that. It is usually the service call, with the spring itself priced once the technician is in your garage.
The safety part
Torsion springs are under enough tension to cause serious injury, and winding one without the proper bars and training is how people get hurt. There are videos online that make it look routine. It is routine for the people who do it every day with the right tools. Until someone comes out, unplug the opener, leave the door where it is, and do not try to lift it.
Common questions
How do I know if my spring is broken?
A loud bang from the garage, followed by a door that will not open or an opener that strains and stops after a few inches. On a torsion spring you can usually see a gap in the coil. A door that feels extremely heavy when lifted by hand after pulling the release cord is the other giveaway.
Can I open the door with a broken spring to get my car out?
Not safely by hand, and not with the opener. The door can weigh well over a hundred pounds without the spring helping, and it can drop. If the car has to come out, say so when you call; it changes how quickly the visit is scheduled.
How long does spring replacement take?
Typically under an hour or two once the technician is there with the right springs, a little longer if cables or drums need replacing as well.
Are high-cycle springs worth it?
On a door used as the main entrance to the house, generally yes. A spring rated for twenty or thirty thousand cycles costs more up front and lasts two or three times as long as a standard one.
My door has extension springs. Should I switch to torsion?
It is worth asking. Torsion systems are generally smoother and more contained. The conversion costs more than replacing extension springs like for like, so it makes most sense when other parts are worn too.
Other garage door work in McDonough
- Garage Door Repair in McDonough, GA
- Garage Door Opener Repair in McDonough
- Garage Door Cable and Off-Track Repair in McDonough
- New Garage Door Installation in McDonough
Also serving
Spring Replacement is available beyond McDonough, across Stockbridge , Locust Grove , Lovejoy , Griffin and Stonecrest .
Get a quote for spring replacement
Tell us what the door is doing and a local garage door company will get back to you, often the same or next day, depending on their schedule. Answered Mon–Sat · messages after hours returned first thing Or call (770) 343-5578 if the door is stuck open or your car is trapped inside.