2026-03-11 7 min read
If you've ever walked into your garage on a dark January morning, hit the opener button, and heard nothing but a hollow click. or worse, a loud bang. you already know what a broken spring feels like. In Plaistow, it's one of the most common calls we get from December through March, and it's not a coincidence. The physics of a southern New Hampshire winter are genuinely rough on the steel components inside your garage door system.
Plaistow sits in Rockingham County, where temperatures can swing from the low 80s in summer down to single digits. and occasionally below zero. in the coldest stretches of winter. That's a range of more than 80 degrees Fahrenheit over the course of a year. For your garage door springs, that range matters enormously.
Torsion springs are made of tightly wound high-strength steel. When the temperature drops, that steel contracts. the coils get slightly shorter and tighter, which adds internal stress to a component that's already under significant tension every single time you open or close your door. As one industry source puts it, the cold doesn't necessarily cause failure on its own, but it can hasten the failure of a spring that has been damaged or aged. A spring that was holding up fine through October can become a liability by February.
The freeze-thaw cycle makes things worse. Plaistow doesn't stay at one temperature. mornings can start near zero and warm into the mid-30s by afternoon, then plunge again overnight. Each of those temperature swings forces the metal to expand and contract. Over dozens of cycles from November through March, that repeated movement creates microscopic fatigue in the metal. By late winter, that accumulated stress can push a worn spring past its breaking point.
Springs rarely fail without warning. Learn to recognize these signals before you're stuck in your driveway:
- The door feels unusually heavy when you try to lift it manually. Your springs counterbalance a door that can weigh 150,200 pounds or more. when they're failing, you feel that weight. - Jerky or uneven movement when the door opens. If one side of the door hangs lower than the other, one spring is losing tension faster than the other. - Popping, creaking, or squeaking sounds during operation. These sounds indicate metal stress and shouldn't be ignored. - The opener struggles or hums louder than usual. When a spring is weakened, the opener has to work harder to compensate. - A loud bang from the garage. even when you're not using the door. That's often the sound of a spring snapping under pressure.
If you're noticing any of these signs, it's worth taking a quick look inside the garage. A broken torsion spring is usually visible. you'll see a gap in the coil above the door. Check out our complete cable repair guide as well, since cables and springs work together and a failing spring often puts extra stress on the cables too.
Here's the honest truth: garage door spring replacement is not a DIY job. Springs store an enormous amount of energy under tension. If a spring snaps or uncoils while you're working on it, it can cause serious injury or significant property damage. This is a job that requires proper tools, training, and experience. full stop.
What you *can* do yourself:
- Lubricate the springs annually using a silicone-based or lithium-based spray. Standard lubricants can thicken in cold weather, increasing friction and making the opener work harder. Avoid WD-40, which can actually make things worse over time. Note: never over-lubricate springs. a light coat is enough. - Test your door balance. Disconnect the opener, lift the door manually to about waist height, and let go. It should stay put. If it falls or shoots up, the spring tension is off and it's time to call a professional. - Check for visible rust or corrosion on the spring coils, especially after wet autumn weather followed by a freeze. - Know the age of your springs. Most residential torsion springs are rated for around 10,000 cycles. one cycle being one open and one close. If you use your garage twice a day, that's roughly 7,10 years of life. If you've been in your home in the Plaistow area for a decade and never replaced the springs, they're living on borrowed time.
Homeowners across Plaistow, Derry, and Londonderry tend to discover spring issues the same way: on a cold morning when the car needs to leave and the door won't cooperate. Scheduling a professional inspection before that happens is almost always cheaper than an emergency call.
The ideal time to get springs inspected or replaced is in the fall. before the temperature drops and before the holiday rush puts everyone's schedule in conflict. If you're reading this in late winter or early spring and your door has been making noise or acting sluggish, don't wait for warmer weather. A spring that's already showing stress isn't going to get better on its own. Reach out to schedule a service appointment and get ahead of the problem.
A broken spring is usually visible. you'll see a clear gap in the coil. A worn spring may not be visible but will cause the door to feel heavy, move unevenly, or require the opener to strain noticeably. Either condition warrants a call to a professional.
Technically the door may still move with one broken spring, but you shouldn't use it. Continuing to operate the door puts serious strain on the opener motor and cables, and it increases the risk of the door dropping unexpectedly. Stop using it and call for repair.
For most residential garage doors in Plaistow, a torsion spring replacement by a trained technician takes about an hour. Replacing both springs at the same time (even if only one has broken) is typically recommended, since both springs have experienced the same wear and are likely at a similar age.