Broken Garage Door Spring: What to Do (and Not Do)

A sharp “bang” in the garage, then a door that is suddenly very heavy or stuck halfway: in the vast majority of cases, a spring just gave way. Here is what to do — and above all, what not to do.

The signs of a broken spring

• A loud bang heard from the house — the classic sound of a torsion spring letting go;
• A visible gap in the spring above the door: coils separated by a couple of inches are the telltale sign;
• The door is very heavy to lift by hand, or the opener strains, lifts crooked or stops halfway;
• The door no longer holds at mid-height: it falls back down or rises on its own.

What NOT to do

Never attempt to replace a spring yourself. Torsion springs are under enormous tension — it is one of the most dangerous repairs there is for a DIYer, and the cause of serious injuries every year. Also avoid continuing to run the opener: it is not designed to lift the door’s full weight and you risk damaging the motor and cables on top of it.

Why both springs get replaced

Torsion springs are generally designed for about 10,000 to 15,000 open-close cycles — roughly 7 to 10 years of typical use. When one breaks, the other has endured exactly the same wear: replacing it at the same time avoids a second breakdown (and a second service call) in the short term.

What our technician does

Replacement of both springs calibrated to your door’s exact weight, inspection of the cables, rollers and balance, lubrication and a full opener test. In most cases, it is fixed in a single visit. Call us — and in the meantime, keep the door closed.

Also worth reading: how garage door installation works.