2026-03-10 7 min read
If you've ever walked into your garage on a January morning in Bennington and found your door won't budge. or heard a loud bang from the garage in the middle of the night. there's a good chance a spring let go. It's one of the most common calls we get every winter, and it's not a coincidence that it happens during the coldest stretch of the year.
Bennington sits in Hillsborough County at a solid elevation, and winters here are genuinely punishing. Temperatures regularly drop into the single digits overnight, and during a notable regional storm, Bennington has recorded some of the highest snow totals in the county. up to 30 inches in a single event. Our neighbors in Antrim, Hillsborough, and New Ipswich see similar patterns. That kind of cold and freeze-thaw cycling puts real stress on every metal component in your garage door system, but springs take the hardest hit.
Garage door springs are made of tightly wound steel, which naturally contracts when temperatures drop. As the metal contracts, the spring becomes more brittle and less flexible. making it more susceptible to breaking under the tension it's already holding. Think of it like bending a paperclip back and forth: each temperature swing creates microscopic stress in the metal, and eventually something gives.
Here's what makes Bennington winters particularly rough on springs: it's not just the cold itself, it's the daily cycling. A morning might start at 10°F and climb to the mid-30s by afternoon, then drop again overnight. That repeated expansion and contraction accumulates damage over weeks and months. A spring that was working fine in October can be right at the edge of failure by February. and the next cold morning pushes it over.
Cold temperatures don't cause spring failure on their own. They accelerate the failure of a spring that's already weakened from years of use. Most torsion springs are rated for around 10,000 cycles. one open and one close equals one cycle. If your door opens twice a day, that's roughly 7,10 years of life. If your springs are approaching that age, a cold snap could be the final straw.
Springs rarely fail without giving you some warning first. Watch for these:
- The door feels unusually heavy when you lift it manually - Jerky or uneven movement when opening, especially in the morning - Loud popping, creaking, or squeaking during operation - One side of the door hanging lower than the other - A visible gap in the spring coil above the door - The opener straining or humming louder than normal
If you hear a sudden loud bang from your garage. even if you weren't using the door. that's often a spring snapping under pressure. At that point, stop using the door immediately. Continuing to operate a door with a broken spring can damage the opener and create a genuine safety hazard. You can check our FAQ page for more on what to do if you suspect a broken spring.
There are a few things homeowners can do to reduce winter spring failures:
Lubricate the springs each fall. A light coat of garage door lubricant. not WD-40, which thins out and attracts dirt. helps keep the coils moving smoothly and slows rust formation. Apply it to the springs, rollers, hinges, and the torsion bar bearings. Wipe away any excess.
Keep the garage slightly above freezing if possible. Even a few degrees of warmth helps maintain metal flexibility and keeps lubricants from thickening. If your garage is attached to your home, good weatherstripping around the door frame makes a measurable difference. see our guide on weatherstripping for garage doors for specifics.
Don't attempt DIY spring replacement. This is important. Garage door springs store enormous amounts of energy. A spring that snaps unexpectedly during removal can cause serious injury or property damage. This is strictly a job for a trained technician with the proper tools.
Schedule a fall inspection. Getting eyes on your springs before the cold arrives lets you replace worn components on your schedule. not during an emergency on a Saturday morning in February when you're late for work.
If your door suddenly feels extremely heavy, won't open at all, or you can see a broken coil. that's a same-day call. Don't keep using the door, and don't try to force it. Continued operation can damage the opener motor and bend the track.
Garage Door Bennington handles spring inspections and replacements throughout Bennington and the surrounding towns. If you want to get ahead of the problem before next winter, reach out to schedule a service visit.
How long do garage door springs typically last in New Hampshire winters? Most standard torsion springs are rated for about 10,000 cycles. With daily use, that translates to 7,10 years. Cold climates can shorten that lifespan if the door is used heavily and springs aren't lubricated regularly.
Can I still use my garage door if a spring breaks? No. If a spring breaks, stop using the door immediately. Operating it puts extra strain on the opener motor and cables, and can create a dangerous situation where the door falls unexpectedly. Call a professional as soon as possible.
Is it worth replacing both springs at the same time? Generally, yes. If one spring has reached the end of its life, the other is usually close behind. Replacing both at once saves a second service call and keeps the door balanced.