Springs
Garage door springrepair
If the door suddenly feels very heavy, a spring has probably broken. Stop using the door and call. The opener can't lift it alone and can be damaged trying.
How to tell
Many people hear one loud bang. Others just find a door that rises a few inches and stops, or slams down fast.
- Spring on a bar above the door (torsion): look from the floor for a gap in the coil.
- Springs along the tracks on each side (extension): look for one hanging slack or a cable swinging loose.
- Opener runs and the door barely moves: stop pressing the button.
What's safe and what isn't
Springs and cables are under heavy tension. A slipped tool or a snapped cable can cause serious injury. This work is for a trained contractor, which is why this site gives no repair steps.
Safe to do
- Keep children and pets away from the door.
- Leave the door where it is, shut if it's shut.
- Note the door's size and whether the spring is above it or along the tracks.
Leave alone
- Don't loosen, tighten or unhook any spring, cable or bracket.
- Don't run the opener against a door that won't lift.
- Don't prop the door and walk under it.
The Consumer Product Safety Commission says a door that won't stay in place when stopped partway up is out of balance, can crash down, and should be serviced by a professional.
Worth asking the contractor
If the door has two springs, ask whether it makes sense to replace both and why. They usually wear at about the same rate, so the second is often not far behind the first. Also ask whether the cables were checked, since a new spring on worn cables leaves a weak point.
Ready to talk to a contractor?
Your call goes to an independent contractor who works in this area. Say what the door is doing, ask what the price covers, and ask for license details before you agree to anything.