Why Garage Door Springs Break More Often in Michigan Winters
If you’ve lived in Michigan long enough, you’ve probably dealt with this already. One morning it’s freezing, you hit the garage door button, and nothing happens. Or you hear a loud bang from the garage like something exploded. That’s usually a garage door spring snapping — and it almost always happens in winter.
This isn’t bad luck. It’s not random. Garage door springs break more often in Michigan winters for very specific reasons. Once you understand what’s actually happening, it makes a lot more sense why this problem shows up every single year when the temperature drops.
Let’s walk through it without overcomplicating it.
Cold Weather and Steel Don’t Get Along
Garage door springs are made of steel. Steel does not like extreme cold. When the temperature drop in Michigan, metal contracts. When it warms up, it expands. In Michigan, we don’t get steady winter weather — we get constant temperature swings.
One day its 35°, the next it’s 10°, then back up again. That expansion and contraction puts stress on the spring every single time the temperature changes. Over time, that stress weakens the steel.
By the time winter really sets in, a lot of springs are already worn down from years of use. The cold just finishes the job.
That’s why so many people say, “It worked fine yesterday.” It probably did. The temperature drop was just the final push.
Garage Door Springs Have a Lifespan (Most People Don’t Know This)
Here’s something most homeowners are never told: garage door springs are not meant to last forever.
Most standard residential springs are rated for around 10,000 cycles. One cycle is the door going up and coming back down. If you use your garage door a few times a day — which most people do — those cycles add up fast.
After 7–10 years, many springs are already near the end of their lifespan. Winter is when they finally give out.
So if your garage door spring breaks in winter, it’s usually not because winter caused the damage overnight. It’s because the spring was already worn out, and the cold exposed it.
Your Garage Door Is Heavier in Winter Than You Think
Another thing people don’t realize is that garage doors actually become harder to lift in winter.
Moisture gets into door panels. Ice builds up near the bottom seal. Snow freezes in the tracks. All of that adds resistance. The spring has to work harder to lift the door, especially in freezing temperatures.
A spring that could barely handle the load in summer doesn’t stand a chance in January.
This extra strain is a big reason broken garage door spring winter Michigan is such a common problem.
Rust and Moisture Speed Up Spring Failure
Michigan winters are wet, not just cold. Snow melts, refreezes, and melts again. That moisture settles on metal parts, including garage door springs.
Once rust starts forming, the spring loses strength. Rust eats away at the steel from the inside out. Cold temperatures make that brittle metal even more likely to snap.
If a spring hasn’t been properly lubricated or maintained, winter speeds up the breakdown fast.
Automatic Openers Make the Problem Worse
Your garage door opener is not designed to lift the full weight of the door. The springs are supposed to do that. When a spring starts failing, the opener begins doing more work than it should.
In winter, that extra strain gets worse. The opener struggles, gears wear down, and sometimes the opener fails completely after the spring breaks.
This is why forcing your garage door open in winter is a bad idea. If the spring is weak or broken, you’re risking more damage — and a much more expensive repair.
Warning Signs before a Spring Breaks
Most garage door springs don’t snap without warning. Homeowners just don’t know what the warning signs look like.
Pay attention if you notice:
- A loud bang from the garage
- The door opening unevenly
- The door feeling heavier than normal
- The opener straining or stopping halfway
- A visible gap in the spring
If you see or hear any of these during winter, the spring is already failing.
Why This Is Not a DIY Repair
Garage door springs are under extreme tension. When they break, that energy is released instantly. Trying to repair or replace a spring without the right tools and experience is dangerous.
People get injured every year attempting DIY spring repairs. It’s not just about strength — it’s about knowing how much tension to apply, using the correct spring size, and balancing the door properly.
From a safety standpoint, this is one repair that should always be handled by a professional.
Why Michigan Homes Deal With This More Than Other States
Michigan winters are tough on garage door systems because of constant freeze-thaw cycles. In warmer climates, temperatures stay relatively stable. Here, they don’t.
That repeated stress shortens the lifespan of springs, especially on homes that use their garage doors daily. Add moisture, rust, and cold steel, and spring failure becomes a matter of “when,” not “if.”
This is exactly why broken garage door springs spike every winter across Michigan.
What to Do If Your Garage Door Spring Breaks
If your spring breaks:
- Do not force the door open
- Do not keep hitting the opener
- Do not try to lift the door by yourself
A door with a broken spring can slam shut unexpectedly or damage the opener further.
The safest move is to stop using the door and call for professional repair.
How to Reduce the Chances of a Winter Break
You can’t control Michigan weather, but you can lower your risk.
What actually helps?
- Annual spring inspections before winter
- Proper lubrication with garage-specific lubricant
- Replacing worn springs before they fail
- Using correctly rated, high-cycle springs
Preventive maintenance costs far less than an emergency winter repair.
Winter Time Garage Door Springs Break
Garage door springs break more often in Michigan winters because cold temperatures, moisture, rust, heavier door resistance, and years of wear all collide at the worst time of year.
If you’re dealing with a broken garage door spring winter Michigan, it’s not bad luck — it’s physics and wears catching up.
Handle it early, handle it safely, and don’t wait until your garage door traps your car on the coldest morning of the year.
