Should I replace both garage door springs if only one broke?
Yes, replace both. Springs on a two-spring door were installed together and have identical wear, so the unbroken one typically fails within 6 to 12 months. Doing the pair in one visit adds only the price of the second spring itself, far less than paying for a full second service call later.
The math behind the pair replacement
Garage door springs wear by cycles, one cycle being one full open and close. Both springs on your door flex together on every cycle, which means they age together like two tires on the same axle. When one snaps at, say, 11,000 cycles, its twin is sitting at 11,000 cycles too. In our service records across Edmond, Yukon, and Oklahoma City, a surviving spring left in place after a single replacement usually breaks within the year, and often within a few months.
Here is how the two approaches compare for a typical OKC double door:
| Approach | Today | Within a year | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Replace both now | One service call, both springs done | Nothing — both sides restart the clock | One trip charge, one labor bill |
| Replace one now, one later | One service call, one spring | A second breakdown and a second call | Two trip charges, two labor bills |
The second visit repeats the trip charge and labor you already paid once. You also get a second morning of being stuck with a dead door, which matters if it fails at 6:45 a.m. before work.
There are practical reasons too, not just cost
- Balance. A new spring next to a fatigued one pulls unevenly. The old spring has relaxed slightly over thousands of cycles, so the door can ride crooked and wear rollers and cables faster.
- Matched cycle life. Two fresh springs restart the clock together. If you upgrade to 25,000-cycle springs, both sides get the upgrade.
- One warranty date. Both springs carry the same coverage window, so there is no ambiguity about which spring is covered if anything happens.
When a single-spring swap is reasonable
If one spring was already replaced recently (within the last year or two) and you can document it, replacing only the older one is defensible. Same if your door runs a single torsion spring, which is common on 8 and 9 foot single doors in additions around Mustang and Moore. In that case there is only one spring to do, though we often recommend converting heavier single-spring doors to a two-spring setup for safety and longevity. More on that in does my door need one spring or two.
What to expect from the repair visit
Our techs carry the common torsion sizes on the truck, so a both-springs job in the OKC metro is normally finished in under an hour, including rebalancing the door and checking cables, drums, rollers, and opener force settings. Average response time is 20 to 50 minutes, and there is no after-hours surcharge if it breaks at night. Get details on the spring replacement service page, or use financing if you want to fold springs into a bigger door upgrade.
Get Both Springs Done in One Visit
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Related Questions
How do I know what size garage door spring I need?+
Springs are sized by wire diameter, inside diameter, and overall length, matched to your door's exact weight. A tech measures 20 coils with calipers and weighs or calculates the door rather than trusting the old spring, which may have been wrong to begin with. Read the full answer →
Why did my garage door spring break so soon after being replaced?+
The usual culprits are an undersized spring, bargain-grade wire, or one spring doing the work of two on a heavy door. Cheap springs can fail in as little as 2 to 3 years, while a correctly sized quality spring should run 7 to 10. Read the full answer →
What's the difference between oil-tempered and galvanized garage door springs?+
Oil-tempered springs are heat-treated black steel that holds its tension for the life of the spring. Galvanized springs look cleaner and resist rust, but they relax over time and need periodic re-tensioning. Most OKC techs prefer oil-tempered for longevity. Read the full answer →
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