What to Do When Your Garage Door Spring Breaks

Broken garage door springs are one of the more commonly reported garage door problems. Contrary to what many homeowners think, it’s your garage door spring that supports and lifts your garage door, not the opener itself. This means that a garage door spring is under a great deal of tension and will eventually wear out over time. Your typical garage door spring will last 10,000 cycles, which equates to roughly 7 years of use. Read on to learn how to determine if your garage door spring is broken and decide whether you should DIY or hire a Portland garage door repair company.

How to know if your garage door spring is broken?

If you are home when your garage door spring breaks, you will likely hear a loud noise. This sound can be very startling and homeowners often mistake it for something else. Depending on what kind of spring your garage door uses, you may find the spring and cable hanging down or on the ground, or notice a breakage in the spring. Here are some other signs that you may be dealing with a broken spring:

  • The top of your garage door is bent
  • The garage door falls faster than normal
  • When you pull the emergency release rope, the door is too heavy to lift
  • Garage door moves in a jerky manner or appears crooked

If you’re interested in troubleshooting a potential torsion spring issue, make sure to check out our blog that features tips for troubleshooting 3 common garage door spring issues.

Your garage door spring is broken. Now what?

If you determine your garage door spring is indeed broken, follow these 3 steps:

1. Remove Your Car from the Garage

Before any spring repairs happen, make sure your car is out of the garage. In order to do this, you will likely have to use your door’s manual release. The door will be heavy, so make sure to enlist a family member or friend to help you. Once the door is open, make sure to prop it up with something sturdy so that it doesn’t fall.

2. Determine What Type of Spring Your Door Has

There are many different types of garage door springs, but the two main types are extension springs and torsion springs. Extension springs are mounted on the side of the garage door and torsion springs are located above the garage door opening.

3. Decide Whether You Want to DIY or Hire a Professional

Depending on your experience with garage door repairs and the severity of the issue, you will determine whether or not you should hire a professional.

Can you DIY a garage door spring repair?

In general, you shouldn’t attempt a spring repair unless you have extensive garage repair experience. Some garage door spring fixes are more suited for DIY, such as maintenance tasks like lubrication and tightening loose screws around the springs. But when it comes to changing a garage door spring, we recommend that you contact a garage door repair professional.

When should you call a professional?

Repairing or replacing garage door springs can be a dangerous job. Both torsion and extension springs hold a great deal of pressure and have the potential to cause severe injury if not handled properly. Hiring a professional for your garage door broken spring repair is the best way to ensure the problem is resolved quickly and safely.

Broken garage door springs happen! With competitive repair prices and same day service, our experienced technicians in Portland, Oregon can get you back up and running in no time! Facing a different garage door issue? Visit our blog for other helpful garage door maintenance tips or contact us today for advice!