Why Garage Door Springs Break in Winter — And What Homer Glen Homeowners Can Do

If your garage door is going to fail, odds are it will happen on the coldest morning of the year. Every winter we get a wave of calls from Homer Glen homeowners whose door will not open—and nine times out of ten, it is a broken spring. Here is why cold weather is so tough on garage door springs, and what you can do to avoid getting stranded.

How cold weather breaks springs

Garage door torsion springs are wound steel under enormous tension. They counterbalance a door that can weigh well over 150 pounds, winding and unwinding thousands of times a year. Steel becomes more brittle as the temperature drops, so a spring that was already near the end of its life is far more likely to snap on a frigid morning than a mild one. Add in the extra strain of a door that has stiffened up in the cold, and winter becomes prime breakage season across the Chicago suburbs.

Most springs are rated for around 10,000 cycles—roughly seven to nine years of everyday use. If your springs are getting up there in age, a cold snap is often the final push.

Warning signs to watch for

Springs rarely fail without hints. Before yours goes, you might notice the door feels heavier than usual, opens more slowly, or jerks partway up. You may hear popping or creaking on cold mornings. If the door suddenly slams shut faster than normal, that is another red flag. Catching these signs early lets you schedule a replacement on your terms instead of during an emergency.

What you can do to prevent a winter breakdown

You cannot make steel immune to the cold, but you can extend the life of your springs and reduce the odds of a surprise:

• Lubricate before winter. A few sprays of garage-door silicone or lithium lubricant on the springs, rollers and hinges in the fall keeps everything moving and reduces strain.
• Keep the door balanced. A door that is out of balance overworks the springs. If your door does not stay put when you lift it halfway by hand, have the balance checked.
• Do not ignore the warning signs. A slow or heavy door is telling you something. Addressing it early is cheaper than an emergency call.
• Consider replacing aging springs proactively. If your springs are near the end of their cycle life, replacing them before winter is far less stressful than being stuck with a car trapped inside.

Already have a broken spring?

If your spring has already snapped, do not try to force the door open—by hand or with the opener. The opener is not built to lift the full weight of the door, and forcing it can cause more damage or injury. We carry the common springs on our trucks, so most spring replacements in the Homer Glen area are done the same day you call.

Frequently asked questions

Written by Jason Kingly, owner of Kingly Garage Door Repair — family-owned in Homer Glen since 1928.  Published September 14, 2026.