A loud bang, a door that won't budge, or a visible gap in a coiled spring above your door usually means a broken torsion or extension spring. It's dangerous to touch — but we can usually fix it the same day you call.
A garage door spring failure is one of the most common reasons Ottawa homeowners call us, and it rarely gives much warning beyond a loud bang from the garage or a door that suddenly feels twice as heavy. Torsion springs sit on a metal shaft above the door and do the actual lifting work; extension springs run along the horizontal tracks on older systems. Both wear out from repeated cycling, and Ottawa's swing from -25C January mornings to humid July afternoons accelerates metal fatigue more than milder climates do. In older bungalow neighbourhoods across the Glebe, Alta Vista, and parts of Nepean, original extension spring setups from the 1970s and 80s are common and well past their rated life. Newer builds in Barrhaven and Orleans typically run torsion systems that still fail on schedule after 7 to 12 years of daily use.
Springs are always under extreme tension, which is why we replace them in matched pairs even when only one has snapped -- an uneven pair puts new stress on the surviving spring and usually fails again within months. We stock standard and high-cycle torsion springs in the wire gauges and drum sizes used on LiftMaster, Chamberlain, Genie, and Wayne Dalton systems, so we're rarely waiting on parts. Roughly 95% of our spring calls in Ottawa are resolved in a single 45 to 75 minute visit, including a full door balance check afterward.
Every job includes complete diagnostic, parts, labour, and a workmanship warranty. No hidden fees, no rushed work.
Recognize any of these? Call before a small issue becomes an emergency.
A sharp crack, often mistaken for a car backfiring, is almost always a torsion spring snapping under tension. Stop using the door immediately.
If lifting the door manually suddenly takes real effort, one spring has likely lost tension or broken and the opener is doing all the work.
Walk into the garage and look above the door -- a torsion spring with a visible separation in the coil has already failed.
One side rising faster than the other points to uneven spring tension, usually one intact spring and one that's weakening.
A garage door opener straining, grinding, or reversing mid-cycle is often compensating for a spring that can no longer support the door's weight.
If the door creeps back down after opening, springs are no longer counterbalancing properly and the risk of a sudden drop is real.
Transparent, efficient, done right the first time.
We ask a few questions about the noise, door behaviour, and door weight to arrive with the right spring size already on the truck.
Technician confirms spring type, wire gauge, and drum size, and checks cables and rollers for related wear.
Using calibrated winding bars and clamps, we remove and replace both springs as a matched pair -- never a DIY-safe task.
The door is cycled repeatedly, balance is fine-tuned, and auto-reverse safety sensors are confirmed working.
We explain what failed, show you the old parts, and register your written parts and labour warranty.
Our torsion spring snapped at 6:45am on a Tuesday and I had nowhere to put the car. 613 Garage Door Repair had someone at our door by 10am, replaced both springs, checked the cables, and had us back in business before lunch. Fair price, no upsell pressure, explained everything clearly.
Most Ottawa homeowners pay between a set fee and a set fee depending on spring type and whether one or both springs need replacing. Torsion pairs run higher than single springs or older extension setups. We quote the exact price over the phone once we know your door's size and weight, and confirm it before any work begins -- no surprise charges.
Springs are manufactured to wear out together over a similar cycle count. If only the broken spring is replaced, the older surviving spring is now paired with a brand-new one of different tension, which strains both and commonly causes a second failure within months. Replacing in pairs also keeps the door balanced evenly on both sides.
We strongly advise against it. Torsion springs store enough energy to cause serious injury or death if the winding bars slip or the shaft isn't properly secured. Every year we get emergency calls from homeowners injured attempting this. It's genuinely one of the few home repairs worth leaving entirely to a trained technician.
A standard pair replacement takes 45 to 75 minutes on-site, including the balance check and lubrication. If cables, drums, or rollers also need attention -- which we'll flag during inspection -- expect closer to 90 minutes. We carry common spring sizes on every truck, so most jobs are one visit, no return trip.
Yes. Cold contracts metal and makes springs more brittle, so failures spike in January and February near -25C. Older neighbourhoods with original 1970s-80s extension springs are especially prone to winter failure. An annual fall inspection catches weakening springs before they snap.
Yes -- LiftMaster, Chamberlain, Genie, Wayne Dalton, Sommer, and generic builder-grade systems installed by developers across Ottawa's newer subdivisions. We stock spring sizes for the vast majority of residential doors sold in the region over the last 20 years.
We provide garage door spring repair across every Ottawa community. Click your area for local details:
Kanata · Nepean · Orléans · Barrhaven · Stittsville · Gloucester · Manotick · Vanier · Cumberland · Bells Corners · Riverside South · Richmond
Call (613) 709-2979 or request a free quote. Mon–Sun 7 AM – 9 PM · 24/7 emergency dispatch.
📞 Call (613) 709-2979