2026-03-27 6 min read
Inglewood is a city full of homes that were built to last. The prewar bungalows in South Inglewood, the ranch-style houses in Morningside Park's Avenues neighborhood, the midcentury builds scattered through Fairview Heights. these are solid structures. But the garage doors on many of them have original or aging hardware that's quietly approaching the end of its useful life.
Garage door springs are the most stress-bearing component in your entire door system. When they go, the door goes with them. often without much warning if you don't know what to look for. Here's how to read the signs before you end up stuck outside your garage at 7am.
Your garage door. depending on its size and material. weighs anywhere from 150 to 300 pounds. Your opener motor isn't designed to lift that weight on its own. Torsion springs (mounted horizontally above the door) or extension springs (running along the sides) do the heavy counterbalancing work, so the opener only has to manage the difference.
Most standard springs are rated for around 10,000 cycles. one cycle being one full open and close. At four uses per day, that works out to roughly 7 years of service life. Heavy-duty springs can reach 20,000 cycles or more. In Inglewood's coastal-influenced climate, however, the humidity and occasional salt air can accelerate metal fatigue and corrosion, shortening that window.
If your home is in the Hollypark Knolls area or one of the older blocks near Century Boulevard and the springs have never been replaced, there's a reasonable chance they're living on borrowed time. Checking our services page can help you understand what a spring inspection or replacement looks like.
Disconnect your opener by pulling the red emergency release cord, then try to lift the door manually to about waist height. It should feel manageable and stay put when you let go. If it feels like you're lifting the whole weight of the door, or if it immediately slides back down, the springs are losing tension and no longer counterbalancing properly.
A torsion spring breaking under full tension releases stored energy all at once. The sound is sharp and sudden. often compared to a gunshot or a car backfire. If you heard something like that from your garage and the door stopped working, a spring almost certainly snapped. Do not attempt to open the door. call a professional immediately.
If one spring has failed while the other still functions, the door will rise crooked. one side leading the other. This uneven movement puts stress on the cables, tracks, and opener. Left unaddressed, it leads to additional damage that turns a spring replacement into a more expensive multi-component repair.
For torsion springs, a gap of roughly two inches or more between coils is a clear sign the spring has snapped. The coils on a healthy spring are tightly wound with no separation. Extension springs may not show a gap, but if they're visibly stretched, hanging loosely, or have come partially detached, they need immediate attention.
This one matters especially for Inglewood homes. The area's year-round humidity and proximity to the coast mean springs are exposed to more moisture than those in drier inland cities. Rust weakens the metal and makes springs more brittle and prone to sudden failure. If your springs have visible orange spots, discoloration, or look stretched compared to how they once appeared, schedule an inspection sooner rather than later.
Your opener is designed to assist the springs. not carry the full door weight alone. When springs weaken, the motor compensates by working harder. If you notice the opener hesitating, making straining sounds, or stopping before the door is fully open or closed, the problem often isn't the opener itself. it's the spring system forcing the motor to overwork. Continuing to run it that way can burn out the motor entirely.
Healthy springs slow the door's descent and ensure a controlled, gentle close. When they've lost tension or failed, that cushioning effect disappears. A door that drops faster than normal. or slams shut. is a serious safety concern. This is especially important in homes where children or pets use the garage regularly.
If you're seeing one or more of these signs, here's the honest advice: don't try to replace the springs yourself. Garage door springs are under extreme tension, and releasing that energy incorrectly can cause serious injury. Proper replacement requires specific winding bars and technique. This is one of those repairs where the risk of DIY genuinely outweighs the cost savings.
You can read more about our repair process and safety approach on our FAQ page. What you can do right now is stop using the door if it feels unsafe, and take note of which symptoms you're experiencing so you can describe them accurately when you call.
Garage Door Inglewood's technicians work throughout the city. from the streets near Darby Park to the neighborhoods around the Kia Forum. and can typically diagnose and replace springs in a single visit.
If one spring breaks, the other is likely close behind. both were installed at the same time and have experienced the same number of cycles. Replacing both at once costs a bit more upfront but saves you a second service call within the same year, and keeps the door operating in balance. It's the practical move, and any reputable technician will recommend it. Contact our team to get an honest estimate.
Q: How long do garage door springs typically last in Inglewood? A: Most standard springs are rated for about 10,000 cycles, which translates to roughly 7,9 years at average use. In Inglewood, humidity and coastal air can introduce rust and metal fatigue that shortens that window. If your springs are 7 years old or more and haven't been inspected, it's worth having a technician take a look.
Q: Can I still use my garage door if I think a spring is broken? A: No. stop using it immediately. Operating a door with a broken spring puts enormous strain on the opener motor and can cause the door to drop suddenly. A 150,300 pound door falling unexpectedly is a real safety hazard. Disconnect the opener and call for service.
Q: Is it true I should replace both springs even if only one broke? A: Yes, and for good reason. Both springs were installed at the same time and have gone through the same number of cycles. If one has failed, the other is likely close to failure as well. Replacing both at once keeps the door balanced and avoids a second service call within a short period. it's the more cost-effective approach in the long run.