How to Tell If Your Garage Door Spring Is Broken

Your garage door springs do the heavy lifting on a door that can weigh 150 pounds or more. When one breaks, the door gets hard to move and unsafe. Here's how to spot it.

Warning signs

  • The opener strains but the door only lifts a few inches
  • You heard a loud bang from the garage
  • There's a 2-inch gap in the coiled spring
  • The door hangs crooked or drops fast

Don't fix it yourself

Springs are under extreme tension and are a leading cause of DIY garage injuries. If you see any of these signs, stop using the door and call a licensed technician. Springs are replaced in pairs so the second one doesn't fail soon after — in the South Bay it's usually an under-an-hour job. Learn more about garage door spring replacement in Santa Clara.

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