2026-03-30 7 min read
If you've ever heard a loud bang from your garage on a cold February morning, you already know what a broken torsion spring sounds like. It's one of the most common service calls we get here in Hollis. and it's almost never a surprise when you understand what's actually happening to your springs over the course of a New Hampshire winter.
Hollis sits in southern Hillsborough County with a humid continental climate, and the numbers are not mild. Temperatures swing from lows around 16°F in the dead of winter up to the low 80s in summer, and throughout the cold months, overnight lows routinely dip well below freezing while afternoons climb back above it. That daily freeze-thaw cycle is exactly what destroys garage door springs over time.
Here's the science behind it: torsion springs are made of tightly coiled steel. When temperatures drop, that steel contracts and becomes more brittle. As it warms back up during the day, it expands again. Each cycle creates microscopic stress points in the metal coil. By the time late February rolls around, your springs have already endured hundreds of these contraction-and-expansion events since October. and the accumulated fatigue is real.
This is also why springs so often fail in February or March rather than December. The spring has already endured months of cold-weather cycles, microfractures have widened under tension, and the temperature swings between day and night become more dramatic as late winter approaches. One more twist under tension is all it takes.
Many homes in Hollis. particularly the Colonial Revivals, raised-ranch designs, and farmhouse-style properties that make up so much of the town's housing stock. were built with standard builder-grade torsion springs. These are typically rated for about 10,000 cycles. For a household that uses the garage as its primary entry point (opening and closing the door four or more times a day is common), that lifespan shrinks to seven years or less under normal conditions. Add in Hollis winters, and you're often looking at even shorter service life.
Upgrading to high-cycle springs rated for 20,000 to 30,000 cycles is a straightforward way to extend the life of your system significantly. It's a conversation worth having the next time a spring needs replacing. rather than just reinstalling the same grade of hardware.
Springs rarely fail without some warning. Knowing what to look for can save you from being stuck with a non-functional door on a 10-degree morning. Check our services page for a full list of what a professional tune-up covers, but here are the most common indicators to watch yourself:
- The door feels heavy when you disconnect the opener and lift manually. A balanced door should float at the halfway point on its own. - Uneven movement. one side dips lower than the other when opening or closing. - Visible gaps or separation in the spring coil above the door opening. - Squeaking or creaking that wasn't there before, especially on cold mornings. - The opener is straining. you can hear the motor working harder than usual.
That last one matters a lot: if a spring is failing and you keep running the opener, you risk burning out the motor. The opener is not designed to lift the full weight of the door on its own.
There are a few maintenance steps that any Hollis homeowner can do between professional visits:
Lubricate your springs every fall. Use a silicone-based or lithium-based lubricant. not WD-40, which can actually dry out metal components over time. A light coat on the coils, rollers, hinges, and tracks before the cold sets in makes a real difference. Non-silicone lubricants tend to freeze and harden in sub-zero temperatures, which adds friction and strain across the whole system.
Test your door balance in October. Pull the emergency release cord, lift the door manually to about waist height, and let go. If it stays put, the springs are roughly balanced. If it drops or flies up, the tension is off and it's time for a professional look.
Don't ignore slow or stuttering operation. A door that opens a little and then stops, or that moves unevenly, is telling you something is wrong. Catching a weakening spring early means a scheduled repair on your terms. not an emergency call at 7 a.m. on a workday.
For more on keeping your entire opener system in shape through the colder months, our opener troubleshooting guide covers a lot of the related issues that show up alongside spring wear.
Spring replacement is genuinely not a DIY job. Torsion springs store an enormous amount of mechanical energy under tension. A spring that releases unexpectedly during an amateur repair can cause serious injury or significant property damage. The only right move when a spring has broken. or when you suspect one is close to failure. is to call a qualified technician.
If you're in Hollis or nearby towns like Nashua, Milford, or Amherst, Garage Door Hollis responds quickly to spring failures and can assess whether a standard replacement or an upgraded high-cycle system makes more sense for your door's weight and usage. Get in touch with our team to schedule a spring inspection before you're dealing with an emergency.
Under ideal conditions, a standard builder-grade torsion spring lasts around 7,10 years. In colder climates like Hollis, where freeze-thaw cycles are constant through winter, that lifespan can be shorter. especially if the springs aren't lubricated annually and the door sees heavy daily use.
Technically yes, but you shouldn't. Without a functioning spring, the door's full weight falls on the opener motor, which can burn it out quickly. If a spring breaks, keep the door in the closed position and call for service.
In most cases, yes. especially for households that use the garage as their main entry point. High-cycle springs rated for 25,000+ cycles cost somewhat more upfront but can effectively double or triple the lifespan of your spring system, reducing the frequency and cost of future repairs.