The Cost of Garage Door Spring Repair in Orange County, CA

Having knowledge around garage door spring repair particulars is essential for any Orange County, California homeowner. A garage door spring that is broken is not just an inconvenience, it is an emergency that stops you in your tracks. If your garage door spring breaks, in all likelihood the garage door won't open and close, leaving your vehicle trapped or your house unattended. Being aware of what you may have to pay to repair your garage door spring will help you to be prepared and reach out to repair your garage door spring very quickly.

Garage Door Springs: Torsion vs Extension

There are only two types of garage door springs, and you want to know which type so that you can be aware of the repair process and ultimately costs. The two types of garage door springs are torsion springs and extension springs - they both operate differently:

Torsion Springs: These springs are mounted above the garage door opening on metal tube or shaft - they twist/torque in the raising and lowering motion.

Torsion springs are most often found on newer garage doors and the majority of double-car (wider) garage door.They provide for a smoother operation, a more balanced operation, and they are typically a better quality and last longer than extension springs. When torsion springs break, they are also typically safer than extension springs. Torsion springs stay coiled around the shaft instead of flying off and causing injury, as a result, of a break. Due to their quality construction and performance advantages, they are always more expensive to replace. The springs themselves are more expensive (they can vary roughly from $75 to $150+ each for normal residential sizes) and the installation will typically require tools and a skilled installer that knows how to tension them properly. Even though they are a bit more expensive, because of their typical lifespan (8–15 years under typical use), they can end up being cheaper in the long-run based on usable life.

Extension Springs: These springs are the long skinny springs that run along the sides of the garage door tracks (or across the sides of the door frame) on some older or smaller garage door systems. When the garage door is operated, extension springs will stretch and extend to counterbalance the weight of the garage door. Extension springs are usually seen on some older one-piece garage doors or some lighter two-car garage doors. Extension springs are typically cheaper than torsion springs - one extension spring usually costs around $50 to $100+ per spring. That said, they typically come in pairs (one for each side of the door) and should always be replaced in pairs for safety and balance. Extension springs have shorter lifespans (maybe 7-12 years with normal use) and typically they make a little more noise or are less smooth in operation than torsion springs. Most importantly if an extension spring ever breaks, it can snap violently!Torsion, vs. Extension Springs: Generally speaking, garages use torsion springs and the cost tends to be at the higher end of the price range, while extension springs typically cost at the lower end of the price range. Overall, torsion spring repair usually costs between $200 and $350, and in contrast extension spring repair usually costs between $150 and $300+.

No. of Garage Door Springs: Most residential garage doors have two springs. If you have a single or double door, if it operates very easily, you may only have one spring, which would cost less to replace since you have only one spring, rather than two. Likewise, unlike most conventional garage doors, if you have a double garage door with a low-weight rating, it may have only one spring. Obviously, if you have more than two springs, you'll need to consider the cost of each spring or springs, and depending on how many springs to replace, this could cost you between $200 and $300+.

Pricing Structure: Every garage door service provider has their own pricing structure. If you're hiring a garage door service professional, it could cost you $250-$350+ for your garage door company to show up, Perform the work requested and provide a warranty on the work. Remember, it is always a good idea to get a few quotes from multiple garage door service providers. If you are not going to hire a garage door service professional - please read our first section on DIY Garage Door Spring Repair Options below for more detailed information. Remember, whatever method you choose, safely managing your DIY garage door spring repair is your responsibility!

Factors That Affect Spring Repair Costs

There are several different factors that will affect how much you pay to repair or replace your garage door spring in Orange County. Understanding these factors will help you know what to expect in costs and talk with your repair technician about your options:

Type of Spring: As explained, torsion springs have a higher cost than extension springs. The type of spring(s) you have will primarily determine the base cost for parts and the amount of labor. Always identify (or have a technician identify) which type of system your door uses.

Number of Springs: If your door has two springs (which is common for double-wide doors), expect to replace them both. While this is almost double the cost of parts, it is important to make sure the door operates balanced. When the door uses two springs which work together, and you only replace one, the older spring will usually break soon after, so reputable technicians will give you a quote for both springs, and you can later make the decision whether to replace both or just one.

Strength of Springs : The size and weight of your garage door determines what weight and size of spring you would require. Bigger or heavier doors would need bigger springs (or additional springs). Springs are available in various lengths and wire gauges to support various weights. A larger spring is required to support heavier doors and could be slightly more expensive than a standard spring. For example, an 8 foot tall door would have longer springs than a 7 foot door and may add some to the material cost of the springs. If your door calls for high-cycle springs (springs that are rated for more opening and closing cycles) typically, used for frequent use and heavy doors are higher priced at time of purchase but typically will last longer than the standard spring.

Spring Quality: Not all replacement springs are created equal. There is inexpensive budget springs and there is high quality springs (some are powder coated or galvanized to prevent corrosion, some are built to last for 20,000 cycles instead of the standard ~10,000 cycles). High quality springs will cost more in the long run. If you live in an coastal area, in Orange County, then think about purchasing galvanized or corrosion resistant springs if you live close to the ocean. They may be higher price than standard quality springs but will equal out in cost to prevent corrosion sooner.

Labor: Labor rates can be higher in Orange County vs lower cost areas. A professional garage door technician will consider labor in the quote.Most spring replacement jobs don’t take a great deal of time (typically around one to two hours), however you are paying for the know-how, and the risk that they are taking in handling high-tension springs safely. A typical labor portion of the job might be in the $75 to 150 range of the total bill for a normal job. If the job requires additional crew or extra time for tricky situations (for example, if old parts are rusted and it’s hard to get off or if you have an odd garage door setup), that would add to labor.

Additional Repairs or Parts: Sometimes a broken spring doesn’t come by itself. The cause, or resulting damage, of a spring breaking can be due to other parts: snapped safety cables, worn pulleys, bent tracks, or garage door openers that are damaged. While the technician is replacing the springs, he may recommend fixing other worn out parts (cables, rollers, bearings, etc.) to ensure the door operates safely. Each part or repair will add costs...for example, replacing two safety cables or a center bearing would be a much smaller amount. It’s a good idea to take care of these items all at once while the technician is at your site, and ask for explanation of what the parts do and pricing on the additional line items.

Timing and Urgency: If you’re requesting same-day service, or calling after regular business hours, you may incur an emergency service fee. There are 24-hour garage door services across Orange County, but convenience usually comes at a price. If your spring breaks during the night, or a weekend, and you can probably wait until the next business day, this may save you from an emergency service fee.But if it's a security issue (door stuck open) or you absolutely can't wait, expect to be charged a bit more for an immediate response.

Honesty and professionalism: The way a company deals with your questions, and the way they lay out their costs, should be an observation.A company that is reliable will be transparent about all fees and will answer to the best of their ability any questions you may have.

Do Not Fall For High Pressure Sales: Do not become anxious if a technician puts a lot of pressure on you to take additional services or upgrades there and then, especially if those recommendations do not seem to fit the spring issue discussed above. While I am not suggesting you should not address coinciding and/or related issues, such as worn cables or rollers, for example, at the same time as spring replacement, I am saying that a good technician will explain to you why it is important to address the issue, and will not pressure you one way or the other either way. If you believe you are in an awkward position and uncomfortable about being pressured, you have the right to mow down and do nothing, and you can even ask for a second opinion.