Can a broken spring stop a garage door from opening?

Yes, and it is one of the most common causes. The spring does the heavy lifting, not the opener. Once a spring breaks, the opener cannot raise the door's full weight, so the door stays shut, lifts a few inches and stops, or gets stuck halfway. Many openers are designed to stop or reverse when they meet that much resistance.

Clues that point to the spring

• You heard a loud bang from the garage before the problem started
• The opener motor runs or hums, but the door barely moves
• The door lifts unevenly or sits crooked
• There is a gap in the torsion spring above the door, or a loose extension spring along the track

Other reasons a door won't open

A spring is not the only possibility. A door can also refuse to open because of a power outage, a dead remote battery, an engaged manual lock, a broken cable or a worn opener gear. Those problems usually come without a bang and with springs that look intact. Our article on why a garage door won't open walks through them.

If the spring is the likely cause

• Stop pressing the button. Running the opener against a broken spring can damage it.
• Do not pull the emergency release to lift the door by hand.
• If the door is stuck halfway, leave it where it is and keep everyone out from under it.

Then call for spring replacement. If the door is stuck open and the home cannot be secured, say so on the call so it is treated as urgent.

Read more

• Garage door won't open
• Garage door stuck halfway
• Garage door spring replacement

Related questions

• How do I know my garage door springs are weak or about to break?
• Are high-cycle garage door springs worth the extra cost?
• How can I tell if a garage door spring is broken?
• What is the difference between standard and high-cycle garage door springs?
• Can I use or close my garage door with a broken spring?

Have a different question? Call (916) 838-8182 or browse all garage door questions.