Garage Door Spring Broke? What To Do Next

A broken torsion spring is one of the most common garage door problems in The Villages. Here's how to tell, and how to stay safe until it's fixed.

Signs your spring has broken

• A loud bang from the garage, often when no one was using the door.
• A visible gap in the coiled spring above the door.
• The opener strains or the door lifts a few inches and stops.
• The door feels extremely heavy if you try to lift it by hand.

What to do right now

1. Don't keep pressing the opener. It can burn out the motor or bend the door.
2. Don't try to lift the door by hand or wind the spring yourself. Springs hold a lot of tension and can cause serious injury.
3. If your car is stuck inside, tell the technician. It helps them prioritize.

Questions to ask the technician

• Should both springs be replaced? (If there are two, the other is usually close to wearing out.)
• What cycle rating are the new springs?
• Will they check the cables, rollers and opener settings while they're there?
• What's the total price, including parts and trip fee?