2026-03-19 7 min read
If you've lived in New London for any length of time, you know this city doesn't give your home a break from the elements. Sitting at the mouth of the Thames River along Long Island Sound, we get the full coastal treatment. humid summers, cold and snowy winters, and year-round salt air rolling in off the water. That combination is hard on a lot of things, and your garage door springs are near the top of the list.
Most homeowners don't think about their garage door springs until something goes wrong. But if you live anywhere near Ocean Beach Park, the Riverside neighborhood, or along the waterfront, your springs are working in conditions that accelerate wear in ways that inland Connecticut homeowners simply don't face.
Salt air causes oxidation on steel springs, gradually weakening the metal from the outside in. Moisture that collects in the tight gaps between coils creates conditions for rust that are nearly impossible to treat once corrosion takes hold. Even compared to homes just 20 miles inland toward Norwich, coastal properties see meaningfully higher corrosion risk. A spring that might last a decade in a drier climate can begin showing serious fatigue in half that time near the shore.
Add to that New London's significant annual snowfall and temperature swings. from summer highs in the low 80s down to bitter January lows. and you have a recipe for accelerated metal fatigue. Every open and close of your garage door counts as one stress cycle against a spring's total rated life. Most residential springs are designed for somewhere between 10,000 and 20,000 cycles. A standard household logs roughly 1,500 to 2,000 cycles per year. Do the math, and you'll see why coastal homeowners often need to replace springs sooner than they expect.
If you want to understand how springs fit into your overall garage door system, our complete guide to garage door safety features covers how these components interact with sensors and auto-reverse mechanisms.
Before you can spot a problem, it helps to know what type of springs you have.
Torsion springs sit horizontally above the door opening and wind or unwind as the door moves. They're the more common type on newer sectional doors and tend to be more durable and balanced.
Extension springs run along the horizontal tracks on either side of the door. They're found more often on older homes. and New London has plenty of those, from the colonial-era homes downtown to the mid-century ranches and split-levels scattered through the city's neighborhoods. If your home was built before the 1990s, there's a good chance you're working with extension springs.
The good news is that springs usually give you signals before they fail completely. Here's what to look for:
- A visible gap in the coils. a broken torsion spring will often show a clear separation in the coil - The door feels unusually heavy when you try to lift it manually. springs are doing the heavy lifting, and without them the door's full weight (often 150 to 400 pounds) falls on everything else - The door opens unevenly or looks crooked during operation - Grinding, squeaking, or scraping sounds. especially common when salt-related corrosion causes rollers and tracks to stick or misalign - The opener struggles or strains more than usual
If you notice any of these signs, stop using the door automatically and contact our team to schedule an inspection. Forcing a door with compromised springs puts unnecessary strain on your opener and cables, and risks a sudden failure.
Regular maintenance goes a long way, especially in a coastal environment like New London. A few practical habits:
1. Lubricate springs twice a year. use a silicone or lithium-based spray, not WD-40. A marine-rated lubricant is even better for homes close to the water. This creates a barrier against moisture and slows corrosion. 2. Do a visual inspection seasonally. look for rust spots, coil separation, or anything that looks uneven. Pair this with a check on your weatherstripping and bottom seal, since gaps let in the humid, salty air that speeds up deterioration. 3. Test the door balance. disconnect the opener and lift the door manually to about waist height, then let go. A properly balanced door should stay in place. If it falls or shoots up, your spring tension is off. 4. Consider higher-cycle springs when replacing. when the time does come, ask about springs rated for 20,000+ cycles rather than the standard 10,000. The upfront cost difference is modest, but the longevity is worth it. especially here.
Our winter garage door maintenance tips also cover lubrication schedules and cold-weather checks that apply year-round in southeastern Connecticut.
This is not a DIY repair. Torsion springs store an enormous amount of mechanical energy under tension. improper handling is a genuine safety hazard and one of the most common causes of serious garage door injuries. Even experienced home improvement enthusiasts should leave this one alone.
Garage Door Company New London carries parts for standard residential configurations and can assess whether you need a single spring replaced, both springs replaced at the same time (often the smarter move, since if one fails the other is usually close behind), or a full system inspection. Check our services page for a full breakdown of what we cover.
Q: Can I still use my garage door if one spring is broken? A: We strongly advise against it. Even with just one broken spring, the risk of injury and further damage to your opener, cables, and tracks is high. Disconnect the automatic opener and leave the door closed until a technician can assess it.
Q: How do I know if my springs need replacing or just adjusting? A: A qualified technician can re-tension or rebalance torsion springs if the issue is just a matter of adjustment. However, if there's visible corrosion, a gap in the coil, or the spring has reached the end of its cycle life, full replacement is the right call. Trying to extend the life of a compromised spring in a coastal environment like New London rarely ends well.
Q: Should I replace both springs at the same time? A: In most cases, yes. If both springs were installed at the same time and one has failed, the other is likely close behind. Replacing both during the same service call saves you a second labor charge and prevents a second unexpected failure shortly down the road.