I’ll never forget one early winter morning in Green Bay.
The snow was coming down fast, and I got a call from a homeowner who said, “My garage door just made a loud bang — and now it won’t open.”
When I arrived, I found both garage door springs snapped clean in half. They’d been holding on for years — rusty, dry, and unbalanced.
The homeowner looked shocked when I showed her the damage.
She said, “I didn’t even know those needed maintenance.”
That’s when it hit me — most people don’t realize garage door springs aren’t built to last forever. But with the right care, they can last twice as long as average.
So, if you’ve ever wondered how to make your garage door springs last for years — maybe even a decade or more — here’s what I’ve learned from hundreds of replacements across Wisconsin.
Why Your Garage Door Springs Work Harder Than You Think
Every time you open or close your garage door, your springs do the heavy lifting.
Literally.
Most residential garage doors weigh between 130 and 250 pounds. The opener doesn’t lift that weight — the garage door springs do.
They counterbalance the load, storing and releasing energy like a coiled muscle.
But here’s what most homeowners don’t realize:
Springs are rated for a specific number of cycles — usually around 10,000.
That’s roughly seven years if you open your door four times a day.
More use = faster wear.
Add Green Bay’s freezing winters and humid summers, and your garage door springs are working under serious environmental stress.
1. Keep Your Springs Lubricated — The Right Way
This is the easiest, cheapest, and most overlooked way to double spring lifespan.
Dry metal rubbing against metal creates friction — and friction equals wear.
Every six months, apply a garage door–rated silicone lubricant (never WD-40) to the coils.
I tell my clients in Green Bay to do it:
- Once in early fall (before the freeze)
- Once in early spring (after the salt and moisture season)
The goal isn’t to make it shiny — just a thin, even coat to prevent corrosion and keep movement smooth.
Proper lubrication alone can add three to five years to your garage door springs.
2. Balance the Door Once a Year
An unbalanced door is a silent spring killer.
If one side carries more weight, it forces one spring to do all the work — leading to premature failure.
Here’s a simple balance test you can do safely:
- Disconnect the opener using the red release cord.
- Lift the door halfway and let go gently.
- If it stays still — perfect balance.
- If it drops or rises — the springs need adjustment.
- If it stays still — perfect balance.
Never try to rebalance springs yourself — that’s professional territory.
But catching imbalance early and calling for garage door service can save you from a snapped spring later.
3. Protect Against Rust — Green Bay’s Hidden Threat
In Green Bay, humidity and salt exposure are constant enemies of steel.
Even if your garage stays dry, moisture from snow-covered vehicles and salted driveways eats away at garage door springs over time.
Here’s how to protect them:
- Wipe the coils with a dry cloth once a month during winter.
- After lubrication, spray a light silicone protectant (available at most hardware stores).
- Keep garage humidity below 50% if possible — a small dehumidifier works wonders.
Rust isn’t just cosmetic. It weakens spring metal, leading to sudden, dangerous breaks.
4. Replace Springs in Pairs — Always
This might sound like a sales tactic, but it’s actually pure mechanics.
When one spring breaks, the other has gone through the same number of cycles and is likely close behind.
Replacing both springs ensures equal tension — and that’s the secret to smooth operation.
A single mismatched spring creates uneven torque, forcing the opener and cables to overwork.
I’ve seen “half repairs” cause full system replacements within months.
So when one fails, think of it as an opportunity to reset your door’s balance completely.
5. Schedule Annual Garage Door Service
Preventive service is the difference between reacting and protecting.
A professional inspection once a year is inexpensive and extends every component’s life — not just your garage door springs.
During a maintenance visit, we:
- Check spring tension and balance
- Inspect cables, drums, and bearings
- Lubricate key moving parts
- Adjust opener force and travel limits
That 20-minute checkup saves hundreds — and keeps your door safe and quiet.
The Counterintuitive Truth: Lighter Use Isn’t Always Better
Here’s something most people don’t expect:
Springs that sit unused for long periods can wear out faster.
When your garage door isn’t cycled regularly, lubricants settle and parts stiffen.
Then, when you finally use it again — especially in cold weather — the sudden movement can stress the coils unevenly.
I’ve seen vacation homes where doors used only once a month broke their garage door springs sooner than daily-use systems.
So even if you don’t drive every day, open your garage door once a week just to keep the system flexible and lubricated.
6. Upgrade to High-Cycle Garage Door Springs
When homeowners ask me, “Is there a way to make my springs last even longer?” the answer is yes — but it’s not a trick, it’s a choice.
Most standard garage door springs are rated for about 10,000 cycles — one cycle equals one open and close.
But for busy families who open the garage door 6–10 times a day, those cycles go fast.
That’s why I recommend high-cycle springs, rated for 25,000–50,000 cycles.
They’re made with thicker wire and longer coils, which distribute tension more evenly.
The difference?
- Smoother movement
- Less wear on bearings and drums
- Fewer balance adjustments over time
For Green Bay homeowners, especially in multi-car households, this upgrade is worth every penny.
Think of it as buying premium tires — the longevity pays for itself.
7. Keep an Eye on Temperature Changes
In Green Bay, the temperature can swing 30 degrees in a single day.
Those rapid shifts make garage door springs expand and contract constantly.
Over time, that metal fatigue adds up.
You can’t control the weather, but you can minimize its impact:
- Keep your garage above freezing if possible.
- Avoid parking snow-covered cars inside without drying the floor.
- Reapply lubricant after long cold snaps — that’s when friction peaks.
These small adjustments make a big difference in spring performance and overall door longevity.
8. Schedule Professional Testing — Even if It “Seems Fine”
One of the most dangerous assumptions homeowners make is thinking, “If it isn’t broken, it’s fine.”
But garage door springs don’t give much warning before they fail.
During annual maintenance, professionals use a tension gauge to measure the exact torque your springs are producing.
Even a 10% loss in torque can cause opener strain or uneven lifting.
I once tested a door that looked perfectly balanced — until we measured it. The springs were underperforming by nearly 20%. Within a month, one snapped.
A quick adjustment that day could have prevented a full replacement.
That’s why professional testing isn’t just preventive — it’s predictive.
9. The Counterintuitive Truth: Springs Don’t Die of Age — They Die of Imbalance
This is something even experienced homeowners often misunderstand.
Springs rarely fail because they’re “old.”
They fail because the balance between tension, weight, and movement is off.
When the opener’s force setting is too high, the spring overworks.
When cables stretch unevenly, one side carries more stress.
When bearings seize, torque gets trapped instead of transferred.
Balance, not age, is the secret to long-lasting garage door springs.
That’s why at WI Garage Door LLC, every service call includes a full system alignment — not just part replacement.
Because when your door moves in perfect balance, everything lasts longer: the opener, the rollers, the cables, and yes, your springs.
10. Why Professional Maintenance Beats “Emergency Repairs” Every Time
I’ve lost count of how many late-night calls I’ve received for broken garage door springs — especially in winter.
In almost every case, the failure could have been prevented by a quick tune-up earlier in the year.
Reactive repairs cost more and cause stress.
Preventive garage door service saves time, money, and peace of mind.
Here’s how I explain it to new homeowners:
“Your garage door springs are like the heartbeat of your home’s largest moving system. Don’t wait for a crisis — keep them healthy.”
That mindset shift — from reaction to prevention — is what separates short-term fixes from long-term protection.
Final Thoughts: Green Bay’s Trusted Partner for Long-Lasting Garage Door Springs
If you’re in Green Bay, WI, and you’ve noticed your door getting louder, heavier, or slower, don’t wait until a spring snaps.
Let WI Garage Door LLC give your system the care it deserves.
We specialize in spring replacement, high-cycle upgrades, and full-system balancing — all designed for Wisconsin’s tough climate.
Every visit includes precision torque calibration, lubrication, and a full safety inspection.
Because protecting your garage door springs means protecting your entire home’s convenience and security.
Call WI Garage Door LLC — Green Bay’s trusted experts for garage door spring repair, replacement, and maintenance.
Read more:
Understanding the Different Types of Garage Door Springs for Replacement
