How Do You Open a Door With a Broken Spring?

Technically Reviewed by Oleg Chudnovski on Nov 21, 2023 | Written by Olga Larina

From our experience as professionals in this business, garage doors should not be opened if they have broken springs. In this condition, it can be difficult to lift the door because the garage door opener is losing the support springs provided for lifting and lowering the door. The springs are designed as counterweights to the door, helping keep it stable and balanced when opening or closing. The garage door essentially has nothing to support its weight without springs.

Thus, we don’t recommend opening a garage door, though we understand that it’s an absolute emergency in some cases: attempting to open a garage door with a broken spring is dangerous and not recommended by professionals. If you must open your garage door, do not attempt to do so alone and exercise extreme caution. Besides, it can injure people nearby or damage property.

How Do I Know the Spring Is Broken?

Let’s pay attention to the following signs looking for which will help you understand that your garage door springs are broken:
a) a break in the spring – you can see a visible break. There are two primary types of garage door springs: torsion springs and extension springs;
b) noisy garage door or loud popping sound – you heard a loud pop like a firecracker. That’s the sound of the spring breaking. If you hear this and can enter the garage from an interior door, you can go inside to confirm this;
c) the garage door does not open – if you can hear the door opener motor working and may see some movement, but it’s unlikely the door will open without the support of the springs.

Average Costs for Garage Door Springs Repair

* All the above prices are approximate and may vary depending on the services’ complexity and the appliance’s brand and model.

Springs come in different sizes with different lengths and widths. The size of the spring depends on the weight of the door. We also supply and install custom springs.

We want to stress that garage door springs cannot be repaired. Springs wear down when first used, so they can never return to their previous state, especially not after a break. You need spring replacement in case of broken springs or cables. Moreover, you must replace all springs, even if only one is broken.

If you have any garage door emergency with either door torsion or extension spring systems, lift cables or others, call (905) 247-6699, and we’ll send one of our certified garage door repair technicians from Fix Garage Doors CA for spring repair to assist you.

Are You Supposed to Maintain Garage Door Springs?

Your garage door is one of your home’s most frequently used parts and is important when discussing security. That’s why regularly tuning up and maintaining all moving parts, such as the garage door springs and rollers, is crucial. The garage door lift systems can be of two types: extension springs and torsion ones.

• Torsion springs – the most common type of garage door springs, trendy and highly recommended. They are above the garage door opening, and extension springs are near the tracks on either side of the door. They differ from extension springs because they don’t extend when the door operates. Torsion springs also turn, so they’re more versatile and last longer, up to 20,000 opening and closing cycles. The service life for torsion springs is 14-15 years.
• Extension springs – extend and expand, then contract every time the door opens and closes. Extension springs can last up to 10,000 open and close cycles. That said, it works out to around seven years for extension springs.

The springs responsible for lifting and lowering your door are the torsion springs and should be on your list of parts to lubricate, which is listed in your garage door maintenance. As with other mechanical components, lubricating allows the garage door springs to operate more efficiently and significantly increases their service life.

There are no shortcuts to conducting proper maintenance. Lubricating springs helps to keep them from rusting and breaking. That’s because using the wrong lubricant will shave years off the lifespan of your garage door, and not paying attention to the areas that need frequent lubrication will have the same result.

Meet the pros at Fix Garage Doors and trust the diagnostics and maintenance of our door experts. We are available seven days a week. Give us a call or submit a request online, and our friendly representative will send qualified technicians to your place. You will be satisfied with the well-done job in no time.

Spring Checklist: 5 Steps to Garage Door Maintenance

Spring is a great time of the year for deep cleaning your home, and besides, it’s a perfect time of the year for garage door maintenance. During the winter, the garage door and its parts have been exposed to extremely cold temperatures, strong wind, ice, and snow. We recommend following this five-step checklist for regular maintenance to keep your garage door in supreme working condition all year round.

Before you start any procedures with your door, remember that if you do not have special knowledge, tools, skills and experience, do not try to do this yourself for your safety. DIY projects do not work in this situation. Contact certified, highly trained, expert technicians at Fix Garage Doors CA to resolve all issues, including general inspection, routine maintenance, and repairs.

Let’s have a look at the 5-step checklist to find the issues with your garage door and maintain it on time to avoid serious problems in the future, spending lots of money for repairs and replacement:

1. Inspect Your Garage Door

First, you should close your garage door and stand inside. Then, look carefully at the rollers, cables, and springs for any visible signs of damage, including frayed cables, loose hardware, and broken springs. Besides, pay attention to any signs of extra wear and tear. If the door is made of wood, check the most vulnerable areas, such as trim work and the bottom of the door, for signs of water damage. If the door is made of steel, look for rust spots. If you notice wear or tear or damage to your garage door system, contact a Fix Garage Doors CA professional to schedule diagnostics, inspection or repair.

2. Check the Garage Doors Seals and Replace

Inspect the garage door thoroughly and look at the seal when you are in. Check for any gaps between the rubber seal and the garage floor. If you notice any light sneaking through, the seal may allow water, cold air, and debris inside, and it will surely be replaced. If you suspect any of these issues, meet our pros to fix them ASAP.

3. Check and Tighten Loose Nuts and Bolts

Garage doors under regular maintenance may last for years. However, over time, their hardware can loosen. This will lead to the door rattling, opening unevenly, or failing to open altogether. Using a socket wrench, retighten all doors and track hardware to keep your garage door operating smoothly and not failing at the wrong time.

4. Lubricate the Moving Parts

The other important thing is lubricating. All moving parts, such as the hinges, rollers, and springs, must be lubricated. This will prolong the life of your door system and improve its day-to-day function. You may use a silicone spray or white lithium grease to coat them. But remember that you should wipe any excess lubricant away to keep it from dripping on the floor or a vehicle.

5. Inspect and Clear the Track and the Rollers

The garage doors’ tracks can be filled with debris and dirt over time, which is sure to affect the operation of the door or may block the path. Besides, rollers should travel easily along the track to ensure the garage door opens and closes freely. Regularly clean them by removing large pieces of debris and using soapy water to wipe down the tracks. Do not forget to dry the tracks to avoid dust accumulation. Moreover, you can apply lubricant down the entire length of the track to help the rollers move smoothly.

General maintenance can go a long way to protect your garage door system. However, if you are uncomfortable with diagnostics, inspection, or general maintenance, call Fix Garage Doors CA and let a pro help you.

What do the Numbers on Torsion Springs Mean?

Garage door springs are not so-called “one size fits all,” Therefore, purchasing the right spring size is important to avoid serious damage. Every garage door requires a specific spring, depending on the type, height, and weight of the garage door. Too small or too big springs can damage your door and create a safety hazard that may put you in danger. Thus, choosing the correct springs that fit perfectly will help you avoid these issues.

However, some companies offer an option to upgrade to high-cycle garage door torsion springs. A cycle life means one open and close of a garage door. By upgrading to high-cycle garage door torsion springs, you can upgrade them to receive double-life springs or even triple the door springs’ life.

Torsion springs require a few measurements: the wire diameter, the inside diameter, and the length. Besides, It is important to note if the spring is a left or right-hand wind. But you can see only letters or the colour of the springs. Let’s have a look at the main indices:

• T stands for Torsion Spring
• WD – the first series of numbers indicates the Wire Diameter
• OD – the second series, following the first hyphen, indicates the Outer Diameter
• TC – the third series, following the second hyphen, indicates Total Coils
• The fourth series, following the third hyphen, indicates Material Type.

Be extremely precise with your measurements because if you make a mistake and your measurement is even a little off, it could have you purchasing the wrong spring, and this will cause the following serious problems: damage to the opener, wearing down the cables, a safety hazard, or damage to the garage door.

Schedule a tune-up, inspection or replacement service with a trusted and certified garage door company. For service from the friendliest garage door experts in Toronto and the GTA area, contact our team at Fix Garage Doors CA.