Can You Open Your Garage Door With a Broken Spring?
Garage door springs are the counterbalancing component that winds and unwinds when the garage door opens and closes. It can be a nuisance if a garage door spring breaks. While it is OK to open your garage door with a broken spring, we recommend contacting the technicians at Garage Door Specialists, Inc. to replace the springs.
What Happens When a Garage Door Spring Breaks?
When the spring breaks in your garage door, you will be unable to operate your garage door like usual. The problem might be a broken spring if:
- The garage door opener motor is running but the door isn’t moving.
- You can hear the garage door opener trying and failing to lift the door.
- You heard the spring break, making a loud pop noise.
- The garage door is off its tracks.
Will a Garage Door Open With a Broken Spring?
A garage door can still open if the spring is broken, but it will take some manual effort. Using your garage door opener could burn out the motor since the broken spring makes the garage door heavier.
We recommend not attempting to open your garage door if it has a broken spring. Follow these safety tips if you must open the door to get a car out:
- Keep yourself safe by protecting your back, keeping your fingers away from pinch points and ensuring your feet aren’t under the door.
- Lift the door from the center and keep it level as the door goes up.
- Do not push or pull on the garage door panels, as they could bend.
- The garage door will not stay open without support so keep the door level when it’s open.
- Shut the garage door immediately after getting your car out — do not keep it open.
How to Open a Garage Door With a Broken Spring
Follow these 3 steps to safely open your garage door manually if the spring has broken:
- Disengage the garage door opener from the door by pulling on the rope attached to the opener’s J-arm until the mechanism unlatches.
- Enlist the help of another person since the garage door will be too heavy to handle by yourself.
- Lift the door until it settles on the horizontal rails.
If the garage door is too heavy to move, do not endanger yourself by attempting to open the garage door anyway.
How to Close a Garage Door With a Broken Spring
To close your garage door, reverse the steps for opening it:
- Start moving the garage door down to get it out of its resting place on the horizontal rails.
- With another person, slowly guide the garage door down until it reaches the bottom.
- Re-engage the garage door opener to the garage door.
Do not let the garage door crash, as this sudden drop may damage more components.
Contact Garage Door Specialists, Inc. to Replace Your Broken Springs Today
A professional should handle a garage door spring replacement. You can find experienced technicians who will get the job done right at Garage Door Specialists, Inc. We have over 40 years of experience replacing broken springs and completing other repairs in Western North Carolina. Our technicians will replace your springs safely and efficiently.
Schedule your repair online or call 828-584-2297 today.