How to tell a spring has broken
- Look above the door: a broken torsion spring shows a clear gap between coils.
- The opener runs but the door barely moves, or it reverses after a few centimetres.
- The door is too heavy to lift by hand after you pull the emergency release.
- Slack cables at the drums on either end of the spring shaft.
- A sharp bang from the garage that you couldn't explain.
Don't keep pressing the remote. Each try puts the full weight of the door on the opener's gears and the top panel. Unplug it and call us.
Why springs break in Riverside South
A young community hitting its first spring cycle. The first homes in Riverside South were built in 1996, and building has continued around River Road, Earl Armstrong Road and west of Limebank Road ever since. Many of those homes still have the springs the builder installed. Standard builder springs are commonly rated around 10,000 cycles, so homes from the late 1990s and 2000s are well into the age where originals wear out, often several on one street within a short time.
Doors used as the front door. For most Riverside South families, the commute, school runs and errands all start in the garage. Four or more cycles a day adds up fast. If that's your household, ask us about high-cycle springs.
Pairs wear as pairs. Most double doors here use two torsion springs. When one breaks, the other has done exactly the same work. That's why we usually replace both, and why the video above shows a full replacement of springs, cables, brackets and rollers on one visit.
Ottawa winters. Steel springs in unheated garages get cold, and rust from salty slush builds friction between coils. Most breaks happen on cold mornings for that reason.
Springs we install in Riverside South
| Door setup | Our recommendation |
|---|---|
| Builder double with two torsion springs | Replace both as a matched pair, sized to the door's weight |
| Single-car or townhome door with one spring | Correct size, or two springs if the door is heavy |
| Garage used many times a day | High-cycle springs, quoted alongside standard |
| Insulated door replacing an original | Springs re-sized for the new door's weight |
We measure wire size, inside diameter and length, and weigh the balance of the door. More background: torsion vs extension springs in Ottawa.
Our spring repair process
- Full inspection: springs, drums, cables, bearings, rollers, tracks and opener.
- Written price approved by you before work starts.
- Lock the door, unwind the old springs with proper winding bars.
- Install matched springs, plus any worn cables or brackets you approve.
- Balance, test and tune: the door holds halfway by hand, opener force and limits set, auto-reverse checked, hardware lubricated.
Expect 30–60 minutes on site for most spring jobs.
Spring repair pricing in Riverside South
| Service | Price |
|---|---|
| Torsion or extension spring replacement | $250–$350 per spring installed (parts and labour) |
| Seniors & veterans | 5% off |
| Warranty | 3 years, parts and labour |
No travel charge anywhere in Riverside South, from Honey Gables on River Road to the newer streets toward Limebank and Bowesville Road. If the cables are frayed or came off the drums, see cable repair in Riverside South. Citywide details: garage door spring repair in Ottawa.
Book same-day spring repair in Riverside South
We're open Monday–Saturday, 7 AM–6 PM, with 24/7 emergency service outside those hours. GDS is rated 5.0★ on Google, and spring jobs carry a 3-year parts and labour warranty. Call or text 343-777-8893, or book online.
Riverside South services: Garage door repair in Riverside South · Cable repair in Riverside South · Openers · New door installation
Nearby: Spring repair in Manotick · Spring repair in Barrhaven · Spring repair in Gloucester · Spring repair across Ottawa