What does a loud bang from my garage door mean?

A single loud bang from the garage, often compared to a gunshot, almost always means a spring broke and released its stored tension all at once. Less often it is a cable snapping. Either way, the door has lost the counterbalance that makes it safe to lift, so stop using it.

How to confirm from a distance

• A torsion spring on the bar above the door shows a visible gap where it separated.
• An extension spring along the horizontal track may be stretched out, hanging or detached.
• A cable may be slack, frayed or hanging loose near a bottom corner.
• The opener may hum or strain and lift the door only a little, or not at all.
• The door may sit crooked or feel extremely heavy.

Look, but do not touch the springs, cables or bottom brackets.

What not to do

• Do not keep pressing the remote. The opener is not built to lift the full door weight and can be damaged.
• Do not lift the door by hand or prop it open.
• Do not pull the emergency release if the door is open, because it can drop.
• Keep children, pets and cars out from under the door.

Getting it fixed

A broken spring is a repair, not a tune-up. A technician confirms what broke, checks the cables and any other spring, and gives you a written price for the spring replacement before work. Call with your address and we confirm the next available appointment and an arrival window. See also whether you can use a door with a broken spring.

Read more

• Garage door noises explained
• Garage door spring replacement
• Emergency garage door repair

Related questions

• Should I repair or replace a noisy garage door?
• Why does my garage door screech when it opens?
• Can I fix a noisy garage door myself?
• Does cold weather make garage doors noisier?
• Why is my garage door making noise?

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