2026-03-22 7 min read
If you live in Artesia, there's a good chance your home was built somewhere around 1965. the median construction year for local housing stock. That means thousands of single-family homes across this densely packed Los Angeles County city are working with garage hardware that's decades old in some cases. Springs, in particular, are the most overlooked component of any garage door system, and they're also the most likely to fail without much warning. Knowing what to look for can save you a last-minute emergency call. and a potentially dangerous situation.
Garage door springs are responsible for counterbalancing the full weight of your door, making it possible to lift and lower it with minimal effort. When they work correctly, you barely notice them. When they fail, the entire system grinds to a halt. Most homeowners in Artesia and neighboring Cerritos find out their springs are done when the door simply refuses to open one morning. often when they're already late for work.
The good news is that springs rarely fail without sending signals first. Here's what to watch for.
Try this simple test: disconnect your opener and lift the door manually to about waist height, then let go. A properly balanced door should stay in place or drift only slightly. If it crashes down or feels like you're lifting dead weight, the springs are no longer doing their job. A door that feels heavier than usual is a strong indicator that one or both springs have lost tension and need to be replaced.
One of the most startling signs is a sudden, loud snapping sound. almost like a gunshot. coming from your garage. This typically means a torsion spring has broken under tension. If this happens, stop using the door immediately. Continuing to run your opener with a broken spring can burn out the motor, since your opener is not designed to lift the full weight of the door on its own.
If your garage door opens unevenly, jerks during operation, or rises only a few inches before stopping, a worn or broken spring is often the culprit. You might also notice one side of the door hanging lower than the other. a visible clue that the springs on either side are no longer working in balance. This kind of misalignment puts extra strain on the cables, rollers, and opener over time.
Stand in your garage and take a close look at the torsion spring mounted horizontally above the door. If you can see a visible gap in the coil, the spring has snapped. This is one of the clearest signs that immediate replacement is needed. Don't attempt to inspect or adjust the spring yourself. garage door springs are under extreme tension and can cause serious injury if mishandled.
For a full breakdown of what our repair and maintenance services include, that's a good place to start before deciding what kind of help you need.
A door that slams shut faster than normal isn't just annoying. it's dangerous. When functioning correctly, springs on either side of the door work together to control the closing speed. If one spring is broken or damaged, the door can drop faster than it should, creating a serious safety risk. This is a sign that warrants a same-day call to a professional.
Most torsion springs are rated for about 10,000 cycles, where one cycle equals one open and one close. For a typical Artesia household using the garage door four times a day, that works out to roughly 7,10 years of normal use. If your home was built in the 1960s or '70s and the springs have never been replaced, you're almost certainly overdue.
In Southern California's climate. with its dry summers, occasional marine layer moisture near the coast, and cooler winter nights. springs can also develop surface rust over time, which accelerates wear. A light coat of garage-door-specific lubricant applied a couple of times a year can help extend their lifespan.
Garage door spring replacement is genuinely dangerous. The springs are wound under significant tension, and releasing that tension incorrectly can result in serious injury. This isn't like tightening a loose hinge or replacing a battery in your remote. It's one of the few garage door repairs where we'd strongly advise against the DIY route regardless of how handy you are.
If you're unsure whether your springs are the issue or something else is going on, check out our frequently asked questions. we cover a lot of common troubleshooting scenarios there.
Garage Door Artesia handles spring replacements throughout the area, including calls from homeowners in Cerritos and surrounding communities. If you're seeing any of the warning signs above, the sooner you schedule an inspection, the better.
Q: Can I still use my garage door if a spring is broken? A: Technically the door may still move, but you shouldn't use it. Running the opener with a broken spring puts enormous strain on the motor and can damage the entire system. It's also a safety risk. the door can drop unexpectedly.
Q: Should I replace both springs at the same time, even if only one is broken? A: Yes, in almost every case. Both springs age at the same rate, so if one has broken, the other is likely close behind. Replacing both at once saves you a second service call and keeps the door balanced.
Q: How much does a spring replacement typically cost in Artesia? A: Costs vary depending on the size and weight of your door and the type of spring system, but most homeowners can expect to pay between $150 and $350 for a professional spring replacement including labor. Getting an honest quote upfront is the best approach. visit our contact page to request one.