Broken garage door spring in Ottawa: torsion or extension, one or the pair
Tell us where the springs sit, whether one or both broke, and how big the door is. One independent Ottawa garage door company gets the service tag and calls you to price the spring job.
In short
- 01A standard spring replacement in Ottawa runs $150–$350, according to the HomeStars Ottawa garage door page; high-cycle or custom springs cost more.
- 02Canada-wide, one torsion spring costs $160–$330 replaced and a pair $280–$510, parts and labour.
- 03Torsion springs last roughly 10,000–20,000 cycles, extension springs 5,000–10,000, per the same Canada-wide guide. One cycle is one trip up and down.
- 04A spring holds the door's weight under tension. A faulty spring can let the door fall, and the tension itself can injure: this is work for the company.
Typical ranges
Source HomeStars, Garage door installation pros in Ottawa, cost section, seen 29.10.2026. HomeStars, How Much Does a Garage Door Spring Cost in Canada?, updated 21.08.2026, seen 29.10.2026. HomeStars, How Much Does Garage Door Repair Cost?, Canada-wide, updated 21.08.2026, seen 29.10.2026. High-cycle springs: HomeStars, Garage Door Installation Cost in Canada, updated 21.08.2026, seen 29.10.2026. Opener and door balance: HomeStars, Garage Door Opener Installation, updated 21.08.2026, seen 29.10.2026. Contracts: Ontario, guide for home renovation businesses, seen 29.10.2026.
What to ask before you book
- Q1Is your price for one spring or for the pair, and what does the other option cost?
- Q2Are the new springs standard or high-cycle, and how many cycles are they made for?
- Q3Will you check the cables, drums and bearings while you are there, and price them as separate lines?
- Q4Is there an after-hours or weekend charge if the car is stuck inside?
- Q5Can I see the total with HST in writing before you wind the new spring?
Before the visit
- A photo of the springs: the bar above the door, or the long springs along both upper tracks
- A close photo of the gap, if you can see where the spring broke
- Door size: single or double, and whether it is insulated or has windows
- Roughly how old the door is, and when the springs were last replaced, if you know
- Keep the opener unplugged and the car parked where it is until the company arrives
Torsion or extension: tell us which you have
Torsion springs sit on a steel bar right above the closed door. They rotate to lift and lower it. A door can have one torsion spring or two.
Extension springs run along the horizontal tracks on both sides of the ceiling. They stretch and contract as the door moves.
A photo settles it. With the type, the number of springs and the door size, the company knows which springs to bring on the first visit.
What the spring job costs
The HomeStars Ottawa page puts a standard spring replacement at $150–$350, with high-cycle or custom springs above that. The Canada-wide breakdown is wider because it splits by type and count: one torsion spring $160–$330, a pair $280–$510, one extension spring $85–$200, a pair $150–$350.
Three things push the price up. A larger, heavier door, such as an insulated double, needs heavier springs. Worn cables, bearings or brackets add to the total, and springs and cables usually wear out together; replacing both runs $200–$500 in the same guide. And a call outside business hours can carry an emergency fee. Ask about each before the company starts.
While you wait for the call
Keep the door where it stopped, keep children and pets out of the garage, and unplug the opener. If the car is inside, say so on the service tag and pick Today. That tells the company you need a visit soon, and it can tell you on the call what it can offer.
What the quote should say
The quote should name the springs: torsion or extension, how many, and whether they are standard or high-cycle. It should list any cables, drums, rollers or bearings as separate lines, the labour, any after-hours fee, and the HST. In Ontario, home repair work over $50 needs a written agreement, and an estimate in it can be exceeded by 10% at most unless you sign a change.
Who you are dealing with
Ottawa Garage Door Desk is a request service. One independent Ottawa garage door company receives your service tag, calls you, prices the spring work and does it.
Questions
01How do I know a spring broke?
Write down what you noticed: a bang from the garage, a door that suddenly feels heavy, stops after a few inches or goes up crooked, or a gap in the coils of the spring above the door. Take a photo of the springs from a safe distance and send it with the service tag. The company reads it and confirms on the call.
02Why is a spring a job for the company?
The springs counterbalance the full weight of the door, and they hold that load as stored tension. HomeStars notes that a faulty spring can make the door fall unexpectedly and that spring tension can cause injury. The same guide says special tools are often required, so leave the door and the spring as they are.
03Should both springs be replaced if only one broke?
Ask the company to price both ways. On a two-spring door, springs that went in together have done the same number of cycles. The Canada-wide guide lists one torsion spring at $160–$330 and the pair at $280–$510.
04Are high-cycle springs worth it?
They cost more at the start and last longer. The HomeStars Ottawa page lists high-cycle springs among the options that cost more than the $150–$350 standard job, and a Canada-wide HomeStars guide says they last roughly twice as long.
05Can the opener lift the door with a broken spring?
Leave the opener off. A HomeStars guide notes that a motor wears out faster when it carries weight the door’s balance should handle. Unplug it and let the company look at both.