What To Do When a Garage Door Spring Breaks
A practical safety-first guide for homeowners when a garage door suddenly feels heavy or will no longer lift normally.
Stop using the door if it feels heavy
A garage door spring helps offset the weight of the door. If it breaks or loses function, the door can become difficult to lift and the opener may struggle. Do not keep cycling the opener to see if it will move the door.
Keep clear of the opening and hardware
Keep people, vehicles, and loose items away from a door that is stuck, uneven, or partly open. Avoid touching spring hardware, cables, or brackets. These components work together under load and are not a do-it-yourself adjustment.
Note what changed
Useful details include whether you heard a loud sound, whether the door feels heavier than normal, whether the opener ran, and where the door is sitting now. A clear description helps start the right repair conversation without assuming the exact cause.
Take the next repair step
Review the Garage Door Spring Repair page for the related service. If the door became heavy gradually rather than all at once, read Why a Garage Door Feels Heavy for other observations to note.
Need to describe a garage door issue?
Share the problem, your contact information, and the service team will receive your request.
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