If the door got heavy all of a sudden or you heard a loud bang in the garage, a spring probably broke. Stop trying to lift it. Springs hold a lot of tension and the door can drop.
Signs of a broken spring
- Loud bang from the garage
- Door only lifts a few inches
- Gap in the spring above the door
- Door feels way heavier than normal
- Opener strains or shuts off partway up
- Cables hanging loose
Torsion vs. extension springs
Most newer doors use a torsion spring, the big coil on a bar right above the door. When it breaks you can usually see a gap in the coil. Older and lighter doors often use extension springs that run along the tracks on each side. Both kinds wear out, and both are dangerous to work on without the right tools.
Why springs break
Springs are rated for a certain number of open and close cycles. Use the garage as your front door and you burn through them faster. Rust from Florida humidity speeds it up, and a door that’s out of balance puts extra strain on the spring every time it moves.
What the repair involves
The tech replaces the broken spring with one sized for your door’s weight and height, then balances the door so it lifts smoothly and stays put halfway up. If one spring on a two-spring door broke, it’s usually smart to replace both since the other one is the same age. Cables, rollers and bearings get checked while they’re there.
Don’t try this one yourself
Spring work is the most dangerous part of a garage door. A spring under tension can spin a winding bar or snap with enough force to break bones. This is one to leave to a tech.
Spring questions
How long do springs last?
It depends on how often the door runs. A door that cycles a lot every day will wear out springs much sooner than one used once or twice.
Can I use the opener with a broken spring?
No. The opener isn’t built to lift the full weight of the door, and you can burn it out or pull the door off track.