How a Broken Spring Affects Your Garage Door Opener

Many people blame the opener when the door will not lift. Often the spring is the real problem.

What the opener is meant to do

The springs carry the weight of the door. The opener only guides it up and down. It does not lift the whole load.

What changes when a spring breaks

The opener now tries to lift the door alone. The motor can overheat. A plastic or nylon gear can strip. The chain or belt can slip. A trolley can break away from the rail.

Signs the spring is the cause

• The opener hums or runs but the door barely moves.
• The door lifts a few inches and stops.
• You heard a loud bang before this started.
• The door feels very heavy if you release it from the opener.

Signs the opener itself is failing

• The door moves evenly by hand but the opener does not respond.
• The remote and the wall button both fail.
• The motor does not run at all.

A technician can tell the difference. Sometimes both have a fault.

What to do

1. Stop pressing the button.
2. Do not try to force the door.
3. Call for a spring check first.
4. Ask for the opener to be tested after the repair.

Related reading

See how much horsepower an opener needs. If you think the opener is worn read how long a garage door opener lasts. Our page on garage door spring repair explains how we test the opener after a repair.