How much do garage door springs cost to replace in Wichita?
Spring replacement in the Wichita area usually runs $200 to $500 installed. These are ballpark ranges based on published 2025–2026 cost data. Your written price depends on the spring type, your door’s size and weight, and whether other parts are worn.
| Spring job | Typical Wichita cost |
|---|---|
| One torsion spring | $200–$350 |
| Pair of torsion springs | $300–$500 |
| Pair of extension springs | $150–$300 |
The price covers the springs, labor, adjusting the door’s balance, lubricating moving parts and testing the opener’s safety-reverse. We give you an upfront price before work starts.
What’s the difference between torsion and extension spring costs?
Torsion springs sit on a bar above the door and twist to lift it. They’re standard on most newer doors, including the insulated steel doors common in Andover, Maize, Goddard, Derby and Bel Aire. They cost a little more to replace, but they run smoother, last longer and are easier on the opener.
Extension springs run along the horizontal tracks on each side and stretch to lift the door. You’ll find them on many of the 1950s–1970s ranch homes in neighborhoods like Planeview, Crown Heights, Linwood and College Hill. The parts are cheaper, but they should always have safety cables running through them so a snapped spring can’t whip across the garage.
Some homeowners convert from extension to torsion when the springs fail. We can price both options so you can compare. Our torsion vs. extension springs page covers the tradeoffs.
Should you replace one spring or both?
If your door has two springs and one breaks, replace both. They were installed at the same time and have done the same number of cycles, so the second one is usually close to failing. Replacing them together:
- Keeps the door balanced, since a new spring and an old one pull differently
- Saves a second service visit, which usually costs more than the extra spring
- Lets you upgrade both to higher-cycle springs if you use the door a lot
Doors with a single torsion spring (common on lighter single-car doors) just get the one spring, sized correctly.
What are the signs of a broken garage door spring?
Most people find out when the door won’t open. Other signs:
- A loud bang from the garage, often when nobody is using the door. That’s the spring snapping.
- A gap in the torsion spring. Look at the spring above the door. A 2-inch or larger gap between coils means it broke.
- The opener strains, hums or lifts the door a few inches and stops.
- The door feels very heavy or slams down quickly.
- The door rises crooked, higher on one side.
- Stretched or loose extension springs, or a spring hanging from its safety cable.
- Loose or tangled cables at the bottom corners.
Wichita’s cold snaps are a common trigger. Steel is stiffer in the cold, and a worn spring often breaks on the first chilly morning of the season.
Can you open a garage door with a broken spring?
Please don’t try. The springs do almost all of the lifting. Without them, even a single-car door is much heavier than it looks, and a double insulated door can be dangerous to lift by hand. If it slips, it drops hard.
Running the opener isn’t safe either. The opener isn’t built to lift the full weight, so it can strip its gear, bend the top section, or pull the door off its cables.
If your car is trapped inside, call us. Calls are answered 24/7, and a car trapped behind a broken spring is one of the calls we prioritize. Our emergency garage door repair typically costs $150 to $600, and any after-hours fee is quoted before work.
What does the red emergency release cord do?
The red cord hanging from the opener rail disconnects the door from the opener so it can be moved by hand during a power outage. With a broken spring, pulling it while the door is open can let the door fall. Only pull the release cord when the door is fully closed, and leave a door with a broken spring closed until a technician arrives.
Can I replace a garage door spring myself?
We strongly advise against it. Here’s why:
- Torsion springs store a lot of energy. Winding or unwinding one with the wrong tool, or slipping off a winding bar, can cause serious injuries to hands, arms and faces.
- Springs have to be matched to the door. Wire size, length and inside diameter are chosen for the door’s weight and height. The wrong spring leaves the door unbalanced and wears out the opener.
- Cables and drums are under the same tension. A spring job often turns into a cable job once things are apart.
The price gap between a DIY spring and a professional repair is mostly the safe installation, the correct sizing, and balancing the door afterward.
How much does it cost to replace a spring at a big box store?
Home centers sell springs by themselves, and some arrange installation through a local contractor. A spring on its own costs much less than an installed repair, but you still need it sized correctly, installed safely and the door balanced. Compare installed prices to installed prices, and ask what spring, cycle rating and balance check are included.
What is the lifespan of a garage door spring?
Standard springs are commonly rated around 10,000 cycles. One cycle is the door opening and closing once. A household that uses the garage as its main entrance might hit 3 or 4 cycles a day, which works out to roughly 7 to 10 years.
If you use the garage door several times a day, ask about higher-cycle springs. They cost more up front but last longer. A yearly tune-up also helps: we lubricate the springs, check their tension and catch frayed cables before they fail.
What else might need replacing at the same visit?
When a spring breaks, other parts sometimes take a hit:
- Cables can fray or jump off the drums when the tension changes suddenly. See cable repair.
- Rollers that are cracked or worn make the door noisy and stiff.
- The top section can bend if the opener kept running after the spring broke.
We’ll show you what we find and price each item separately before starting, so you can decide. Our garage door repair cost guide has prices for the most common repairs.
What’s the next step?
If you’ve heard a bang or the door won’t lift, leave it closed and call (316) 330-0609. We serve Wichita and nearby towns including Derby, Haysville, Park City, Andover and Maize, and we’ll give you an upfront price for spring repair before any work starts.
