How Long Does the Average Garage Door Spring Last?

A garage door spring is one of the most important parts of any garage door as it is critical to operating it. The garage door opens and closes multiple times a day, and every day. However, this day to day operation will only work smoothly so as long as the spring in intact. That’s why many people are curious to find out how long their garage door’s spring can last.

Types of Garage Door Springs

The springs are also sometimes referred to as torsion springs and are often rated for the number of cycles they can survive on average. The standard across the majority of garage doors is the 10,000-cycle spring. However, there are springs that last for more than twice as many cycles if not more. However, a garage door spring that can last 50,000 cycles is way more expensive than one that will last 10,000 cycles, but the year on year cost ends up being lower for the 50K cycles spring.

However, you never want to choose a spring that outlasts your garage door because that’s just wasted money. So, the choice of spring should depend on use and the current state of the garage door.

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Average Life of a Garage Door Spring

The average life expectancy of your average garage door spring is calculated in cycles. So, each time the door opens and then closes is counted as one cycle. On average a home’s garage door will open and close four times each day. So, if the torsion spring is rated at 10K cycles, it translates to around 14 years if not more.

Addressing Premature Aging

The garage door spring along with numerous other metal components are affected by the climate. Moisture can cause rusting and corrosion. The build-up of rust increases friction, and that wears down the metal faster.

The other factor that affects aging is cold weather. When steel is cold it becomes brittle. That’s why many metal springs break in winter. Garage door owners unknown to the condition of the spring expect the door to open as expected, but that may at times lead to a loud crack associated with a broken spring.

Preventive Maintenance

It is surprisingly easy to prevent wear and tear that’s caused by various environmental factors. So, to prevent rust, we strongly advise homeowners to spray the spring with a silicone coating. However, contrary to popular belief avoid using WD-40, because it eats through the paint.

When it becomes particularly cold, you want to start with warming up the door. Open the garage door during the day, or you can use a space heater when it is very cold to heat up the spring. Then when opening the door listen carefully. Stop the door as soon as you hear some irregular sounds which could be coming from the garage door spring. That way your chances of ending up with a broken spring is reduced.