Why Reardan Winters Are So Hard on Garage Door Springs (And What to Do About It)
2026-04-09 7 min read
If you've ever walked into your garage on a January morning and heard a sharp bang. like a gunshot. followed by a door that won't budge, you already know what a broken torsion spring sounds like. It's one of the most jarring things that can happen to a homeowner, and in Reardan, it's more common than most people realize.
The reason comes down to our climate. Reardan sits at roughly 2,500 feet of elevation in Lincoln County, and our winters are genuinely cold. Temperatures regularly drop well below freezing overnight, with January averages hitting lows around 23°F. That's not Pacific Northwest mild-and-drizzly cold. that's hard, bone-dry Eastern Washington cold. And it's exactly the kind of cold that shortens the life of your garage door springs.
Why Cold Weather Is So Brutal on Springs
Garage door torsion springs are made from hardened steel coiled under extreme tension. They do one job: counterbalance the weight of your door so the opener doesn't have to lift it all on its own. Every time your door opens and closes, the spring winds and unwinds, slowly fatiguing the metal over thousands of cycles.
Now add sub-freezing temperatures to that equation. Steel becomes more brittle in the cold, losing some of its natural flex. When a spring is already mid-life. say, 4 or 5 years into a typical 7,10 year lifespan. that extra brittleness from a January cold snap is sometimes all it takes to push it over the edge. The spring snaps, often with that unmistakable bang.
It's not just a single freeze that causes damage, either. Reardan's winters involve repeated freeze-thaw cycles, where temperatures rise above freezing during the day and dip back down overnight. This expansion and contraction of the metal accelerates wear in ways that a consistently cold climate might not.
The Signs Your Springs Are Struggling
You don't have to wait for a full break to know something's wrong. Watch for these warning signs:
- The door feels unusually heavy. If you disconnect the opener and try to lift the door manually and it feels like it weighs 200 pounds, your springs are losing tension. - The door moves unevenly. One side rising faster than the other is a classic sign of a spring with uneven tension. or one that's already partially failed. - Visible gaps in the spring coils. A healthy torsion spring looks like a tight, uniform coil. A gap means it's broken. Don't operate the door. - Squeaking or creaking that wasn't there before. Sometimes cold weather causes springs to make noise before they fail outright. It's a warning worth taking seriously.
For a deeper look at how door components work together when something goes wrong, our guide on track alignment and garage door health is worth a read. misaligned tracks and spring issues often show up at the same time.
The Freeze-Up Problem: Lubrication
One of the most preventable spring problems in Reardan is neglected lubrication. Most homeowners never think about it until something breaks. But here's the reality: a dry spring in freezing temps is working harder than it needs to, and that friction accelerates wear.
Use a dedicated garage door lubricant (not WD-40, which is actually a degreaser) on your springs, rollers, and hinges at least twice a year. once in late fall before the hard cold arrives, and once in early spring. A 10-minute job every six months can add years to your spring's life.
If you're unsure what products to use or which components need attention each season, take a look at our storm season preparation guide. it covers lubrication and weatherproofing steps that apply to fall and winter prep too.
Extension vs. Torsion Springs: What You Have Matters
Not every Reardan home has the same spring setup. Older homes. particularly the ranch-style and bungalow-era houses you'll find around the older parts of town. often have extension springs, which run horizontally along each side of the door track. Newer builds and most homes constructed in the last couple of decades more commonly use torsion springs, which sit horizontally above the door opening on a metal rod.
Torsion springs generally last longer and provide more balanced lifting. Extension springs are cheaper but wear faster, and they require safety cables threaded through them. without those cables, a broken extension spring can become a serious projectile hazard.
If you're not sure which type your home has, that's a good reason to have a professional inspection done. Reardan Garage Doors can quickly identify your spring type and let you know where things stand.
DIY or Call a Pro? Be Honest With Yourself Here
Garage door springs are under enormous tension. enough to cause serious injury if handled improperly. This is not a YouTube tutorial situation. Even experienced handypeople get hurt attempting spring replacements without the right tools and training. If your spring is broken or showing signs of failure, the honest answer is: call a professional.
What you *can* safely do yourself: - Visual inspection of spring condition (look for gaps, corrosion, or uneven coils) - Lubrication of the spring with appropriate lubricant, Manual balance test (disconnect the opener, lift the door halfway, let go. it should stay in place)
What you should *not* do yourself: - Adjust spring tension, Replace a broken spring, Attempt repairs on a door that won't stay up
Homeowners in Airway Heights and Spokane Valley face the same winter spring issues we do out here in Reardan. cold, dry Eastern Washington winters are hard on the whole region's garage hardware.
When to Replace vs. Repair
If one spring breaks on a two-spring system, most professionals will recommend replacing both at the same time. The logic is straightforward: if one failed, the other is likely close behind. Replacing both during the same service call saves you a second labor charge and a second inconvenient breakdown.
Spring lifespan is typically rated in cycles. one cycle equals one open and one close. Standard springs are rated for 10,000 cycles, which for an average household using the door four times a day works out to roughly 7 years. Heavy users. like households where the garage is the main entry. can burn through that faster. High-cycle springs rated for 25,000 or even 50,000 cycles cost more upfront but are almost always worth it in the long run.
If you're due for a replacement and want to make a smart decision about what to invest in, our post on evaluating warranty value for garage door components breaks down how to read spring warranties and what the numbers actually mean.
For professional spring service or a free assessment, reach out to Reardan Garage Doors. We're local, we know what Reardan winters do to hardware, and we'd rather you call before it breaks than after.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I know if my garage door spring is broken? The clearest signs are a loud bang from the garage (often mistaken for something falling), a door that won't open or is extremely heavy to lift manually, and visible gaps in the spring coils above the door. If you see a gap in the torsion spring, stop using the door and call a professional.
Can I still use my garage door with a broken spring? Technically, the opener may still try to run, but operating a door with a broken spring puts enormous strain on the opener motor and can cause additional damage. More importantly, it's a safety risk. especially with a heavy, unbalanced door. Avoid using it until the spring is replaced.
How much does garage door spring replacement cost in the Reardan area? Spring replacement costs vary depending on the type of spring, whether you're replacing one or both, and the door size. For most residential doors in the Reardan and Spokane area, expect to pay in the range of $150,$350 for a standard replacement, including labor. High-cycle upgrades will cost more but often pay for themselves by lasting significantly longer.