When many people need a broken Garage Door Spring Replaced, they will often run into a home-store salesman who says that they need both springs replaced. So, the question they (homeowners) often ask is why replace both springs when the only one is broken?

What advantage does replacing both springs have as compared to saving money and just replacing one? We’ll these are precisely the type of questions we’ll answer in this article.

The Importance of Good Garage Door Springs

Our garage doors open multiple times a day. They go up and down, 365 days a year without a hitch. However, unknown to most people that up and down (cycle) is only made possible by the torsion spring. Some garage doors have one; others have multiple.

A torsion spring usually breaks because of wear and tear over the course of several cycles. The spring needs to be changed immediately.

Garage doors, for the most part, are extremely heavy. Most people may find it difficult to lift a garage door with a broken spring, which can be very frustrating. What’s more frustrating is if the spring breaks when a vehicle is stuck inside.

However, your garage door will still lift if it has two springs, and just one out of the two is broken. That said if your model came with only one spring, then you need to call a professional.

Generally speaking, a single garage door has one spring, while the double door ones have two springs. That’s why when you call a professional; they will ask what type of garage door you have. Knowing that also helps them bring the right Replacement Spring along too.

Understanding Garage Door Spring Cycles

One of the things you need to bear in mind when talking about garage door springs is their life cycle. A garage door spring is rated for the number of cycles it can be good for until it has to be replaced. The standard cycle rating for the average garage door spring is around 10k cycles.

That means a garage door can open and close 10,000 times with that spring. The number of years this spring lasts is up to how much your garage door opens and closes. Also, how well the garage door is maintained.

High-quality garage door springs are made from top-tier materials. Manufacturers back these springs with a warranty. Then you also have other types of springs like ones that are oil dipped which cost more, there are also powder coated ones and galvanized springs which are rust-resistant.

Generally speaking, you shouldn’t overpay for a Garage Door Spring. A good spring on average will be made from good gauge wire, have a thick diameter and measure the right length.

Why Does One Spring Outlast the Other?

In a multi-spring garage door spring system, it is fairly common for one Spring To Give Out while the others are working fine. It is unpredictable at best because even the finest springs can give out. If you have four springs and the door is fairly new, replacing that one spring should be fine.

However, if you have a garage door with two springs, and one gives out, then you are better off replacing both. Replacing both springs keeps wear even. It also saves you from having to call the garage door repair shop again, to get the other spring replaced some months later.

The Drawback of Replacing Both Springs

The biggest drawback to replacing both springs is that it is expensive. If you opt for high-quality springs, complete with hiring a professional, you’re looking at a few hundred dollars in work. Other than that if you’ve invested in high-quality springs that are proven to last a long time, backed by a well-known brand, your garage door springs should last you another few years.

Replacing both springs also keeps the garage door in balance. Many people overlook the importance of a balanced garage door, but we assure you that it is very important to the longevity of your investment.

Final Word

When do you need to replace both garage door springs? Well, the answer to this is all the time. If your garage door is over five years old, replace both springs. If it is just a year old, then replacing one spring is fine because the other should be fairly new.

In a multiple spring garage door system replacing that one spring should be fine too. Though a single spring rarely ever breaks because the load is evenly distributed across multiple springs.