Springs do the heavy lifting on a garage door. The opener only guides it. When a spring breaks, the door suddenly weighs what it really weighs, often a few hundred pounds, and everything else starts to struggle. Here is how to tell.
The bang
Most people hear it before they see it. A torsion spring lets go with one sharp crack, loud enough that people think something fell or a tire blew. It often happens when the door is closed and nobody is near it, because that is when the spring is wound tightest. If you heard a bang from the garage and the door now acts strange, assume it is a spring until you know otherwise.
The gap in the coil
Look at the metal bar above the door on the inside. On most newer homes around St. George, one or two springs wrap around that bar. A good spring is a tight, even coil. A broken one has a clear gap, usually a few inches wide, where the wire separated. Sometimes the two halves have spun apart along the bar.
Older homes may have extension springs instead. Those run along the horizontal tracks on each side, above the door when it is open. A broken one may be hanging loose, lying on the floor, or held only by its safety cable. If there is no safety cable, pieces can fly when the spring breaks, so stay clear of that area.
The door acts heavy or will not move
With a broken spring you may notice:
- The opener runs but the door lifts a few inches, or not at all
- The door starts up, then stops and reverses
- The door feels like dead weight when you try it by hand
- The door drops fast instead of easing down
- The opener strains or smells hot
Openers are built to move a balanced door, not to lift its full weight. Pressing the button over and over is the fastest way to turn a spring repair into a spring and opener repair.
The door sits crooked
If one spring breaks on a two-spring door, or a cable comes off with it, the door can hang lower on one side. You may see a cable gone slack or wrapped wrong on the drum at a top corner. A crooked door can also jump its track. Leave it where it is. See cable repair and off-track door repair.
Not broken yet?
If the door still works but feels off, the spring may be wearing out instead. That is a different checklist: see 7 warning signs before a spring snaps.
What to do right now
- Stop using the opener. Unplug it if you can reach the plug safely.
- Leave the door where it is. If it is down, good. If it is open, do not try to close it by hand if it feels heavy.
- Keep kids, pets, and cars out from under it.
- Do not try to wind, unwind, or remove the spring. Torsion springs store a lot of force, and the tools take training.
- Call 435-773-8856. Tell us the city, whether the door is up or down, and what you heard.
If the car is stuck inside or the door is stuck open overnight, say so on the call. See emergency garage door repair.
What the repair involves
A technician matches the spring wire size and length to your door's weight and height, replaces both springs if they are the same age, checks the cables and drums, balances the door, and resets the opener force. Most spring jobs are done in one visit when the right springs are on the truck. Details are on the garage door spring repair in St. George page. Pricing is call-for-quote, see service fees.
FAQ
How do I know if my garage door spring is broken?
Look for a gap in the coil on the bar above the door, a loud bang right before the trouble started, or an opener that runs while the door barely moves. Any of those means stop using the door and call 435-773-8856.
Can I open my garage door with a broken spring?
It is not safe. Without the spring the door is dead weight and can drop. Leave it where it is and call.
Should both springs be replaced if only one broke?
Usually yes. If both springs are the same age, the second one is close to the end of its life too. Replacing the pair keeps the door balanced.
Why do springs break so often in St. George?
Use and heat. Garages used as the main entry wear springs fast, and summer heat adds stress. St. George does not get many of the hard freeze breaks colder places see, but springs still wear out.
Can I replace a garage door spring myself?
We do not recommend it. Torsion springs hold enough force to cause serious injury. This is technician work with the right tools and parts.
What happens when you call
- Call 435-773-8856. Tell us your city or neighborhood.
- Describe what the door is doing. Up, down, or stuck partway. A bang, a loose cable, a dead remote. If a car is stuck inside or the house is open, say so.
- Get a free estimate and a time. We tell you what it sounds like, how the job is quoted, and the soonest a technician can come. If that is not today, we say so.
Call or text for a free estimate
Tap to call or text and tell us what the door is doing.