It usually starts with a bang — loud enough that people check whether something fell over or a car backfired. Then the garage door won't open, or the opener hums, lifts the door a few inches, and gives up.
That is the classic sign of a broken spring, the most common garage door failure there is. Here is how to confirm it, what to do in the next hour, and what the repair involves.
How to confirm a spring has broken
With the door closed, look at the springs. You don't need to touch anything.
- Torsion spring — on the bar above the door, which is what most doors in the area have. Look for a gap of a couple of inches somewhere along the coil; a broken torsion spring separates into two pieces.
- Extension springs — running alongside the horizontal tracks on each side, mostly on older doors. Look for one that is snapped, hanging, or stretched far longer than its partner.
Other signs that point the same way: the opener runs but the door barely moves, the door rises unevenly or sits crooked, or the cables at the bottom corners have gone slack.
What to do right now
- Stop pressing the button. The opener isn't built to lift the full weight of the door. Running it against a broken spring strains the motor, can strip its gears, and can pull the cables off their drums.
- If the door is closed, leave it closed. That is the safest position for it.
- If the door is stuck open or part-way, don't pull the red release cord and don't try to close it by hand. The opener may be the only thing holding it up. Keep people, pets and cars out from under it.
- Keep everyone away from the springs, the cables and the bottom brackets.
- Call for the repair. Tell us which spring, where the gap is, and whether the door is open or closed.
⚠️ Why this isn't a DIY job: torsion springs are wound under enough tension to lift a door that can weigh several hundred pounds. Winding or unwinding them takes proper winding bars and training, and a slip is how people get seriously hurt. The same goes for the cables and bottom brackets, which carry spring tension whenever the door is closed.
If your car is stuck inside
Don't lift the door by hand to get it out — with a broken spring you would be carrying most of the door's weight yourself. Get a ride for now and have the spring replaced first. Our guide to getting your car out when the door won't open covers what is and isn't safe.
What the repair involves
A technician replaces the broken spring with one matched to your door's weight and size, and sets the tension so the door is balanced again. If your door has two springs and only one broke, we recommend replacing both: they have done the same number of cycles, so the second is usually close behind, and replacing them together keeps the door balanced.
A proper spring repair also includes checking the cables, drums and bottom brackets — a spring failure often puts extra strain on them — and testing the opener's auto-reverse once the door is balanced. For details, see our spring replacement service.
Why springs break
Springs are rated for a limited number of open-and-close cycles and wear out with use. Rust speeds that up, and cold weather is hard on a spring that is already worn — so a tired spring often gives out on a cold morning. Our guides on how long springs last and the warning signs before one fails explain what to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I open my garage door with a broken spring?
Not safely. The springs carry nearly all of the door's weight; with one broken, the opener can't lift it properly and lifting by hand puts that weight on you. Leave the door closed and have the spring replaced.
Is a broken garage door spring an emergency?
If the door is stuck open or your car is trapped, treat it as urgent — we answer 24/7. If the door is closed and you don't need the car, it can wait for a scheduled visit; just don't use the door in the meantime.
Should both springs be replaced at the same time?
On doors with two springs, yes. Both have done the same number of cycles, so when one breaks the other is usually close behind, and replacing the pair keeps the door balanced.
What does a broken garage door spring sound like?
A sudden, very loud bang from the garage, often compared to a gunshot or a firecracker. It can happen when nobody is using the door.
Why did my garage door spring break?
Springs wear out over a set number of cycles. Rust shortens their life, cold weather is hard on a spring that is already worn, and a spring that was undersized for the door wears out faster.
🚨 Broken Spring? We Can Help Today
Spring repairs are the most common call we get. We answer 24/7 across Philadelphia and South Jersey — call and tell us what you see.
See our garage door spring replacement service. We cover Philadelphia, Cherry Hill, Voorhees, Marlton, Mount Laurel and the rest of South Jersey — see all service areas.
📞 Call (856) 271-6504