6 Garage Door Repairs You Should Not DIY

Plenty of garage door upkeep is fine to do yourself. Changing a remote battery, wiping the sensors, and lubricating the hinges are all reasonable weekend jobs. But some repairs look simple in a video and are dangerous in a real garage. A typical two-car door weighs a few hundred pounds, and the springs that balance it store enough force to break bones. Here are the six jobs we would ask you to leave alone, and why.

1. Winding or replacing torsion springs

Torsion springs sit on the metal bar above the door and twist to store energy. When the door is closed, they are wound tight. Replacing one means unwinding that tension with steel winding bars, swapping the spring, and winding the new one back the right number of turns for your door. If a bar slips or someone uses the wrong tool, like a screwdriver, the spring can spin it out of their hands with serious force. Getting the wire size wrong also leaves the door out of balance. This is the repair we get asked about most, and it is the one we most want you to skip. See broken spring repair.

2. Unhooking or replacing extension springs

Extension springs sit above the side tracks and stretch out every time the door comes down. They look less dangerous than torsion springs, but they are under tension too, especially with the door down. If a spring or its hook gives way while you are working on it, it can whip across the garage. Many older doors were installed without safety cables running through the springs, which makes a break even more dangerous. Replacing them means safely releasing the tension, matching the new springs to the door weight, and adding safety cables if they are missing. If your door has these, leave them to a technician.

3. Replacing lift cables or bottom brackets

The lift cables run from the bottom corners of the door up to drums on the spring bar. They connect directly to the spring system, so they are under tension any time the springs are. The bottom brackets that hold the cables carry that same load. Loosening a bottom bracket bolt on a door under tension can release the cable suddenly and injure your hand or face. A cable that is frayed, loose, or off its drum also means the door may not be balanced, so it can drop. Broken strands or a slack cable mean the door is done for the day. Park it and read cable repair.

4. Putting an off-track door back on the rails

When rollers come out of the track, the door is no longer guided, and it may only be held up by part of the system. Pushing, pulling, or prying the door back into place can bend panels, collapse the door inward, or drop it entirely. An off-track door usually came off for a reason, like a broken spring, a slack cable, or a bent track, and that has to be fixed too or it will happen again. Let it sit exactly as it is, clear the area, and keep your hands off the red release. See off-track door repair.

5. Turning up opener force or bypassing the safety sensors

When a door struggles to open or close, it is tempting to turn up the opener's force setting or tape the sensors together so the door just goes. Both are bad ideas. Higher force can let the opener lift a door with a broken spring until something gives, and it can stop the door from reversing when it should. Bypassing the sensors takes away the protection that keeps a closing door from coming down on your kids, your dog, or your bumper. If the opener is fighting the door, find out why. Start with opener repair and our keypads, remotes and sensors page.

6. Moving a door that is hanging, crooked, or stuck partway

A door stuck halfway open, hanging crooked, or bent after a car hit it is the most unpredictable situation in a garage. You cannot tell from the floor which parts are still holding it. If a spring is broken and the door is raised, pulling the red release can let the whole door fall. Trying to force it closed by hand can fold panels or snap a cable. Keep everyone out from under it, move cars only if you can do it without passing beneath the door, and call. If the house is open or a car is trapped, request help through our emergency garage door repair page.

What you can safely do yourself

You do not have to call for everything. These jobs are safe for most homeowners: replace remote and keypad batteries, wipe the sensor lenses and re-aim a bumped sensor, lubricate hinges, roller bearings, and springs with garage door lubricant, wipe the tracks clean without greasing them, and check for daylight under the door. Our won't-open checklist walks through the safe checks step by step. If a job involves springs, cables, brackets, or a door that is not moving right, stop there. Call or text 435-773-8856 for a free estimate.

FAQ

Is it dangerous to replace a garage door spring yourself?

Yes. Torsion springs store enough force to cause serious injury if a winding bar slips. Extension springs can whip loose if a hook or spring fails. This is technician work.

Can I put my garage door back on track myself?

We do not recommend it. An off-track door may be held up by only part of the system and can drop or fold. Let it sit and call 435-773-8856.

Is it okay to turn up the force on my garage door opener?

No. If the opener needs more force, something else is usually wrong, often a weak or broken spring. More force can also keep the door from reversing when it should.

What garage door maintenance can I do myself?

Change remote and keypad batteries, clean and align the sensors, lubricate hinges, roller bearings, and springs, wipe the tracks, and check the bottom seal.

What should I do if my garage door is stuck halfway?

Do not touch it, keep everyone clear of the opening, and skip the red release. Call 435-773-8856 and tell us whether a car is trapped or the house is open.