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.

Understanding Garage Door Springs

Having a basic understanding of how garage door springs work means you can take the proper precautions when they break. There are two types of springs — torsion and extension. Extension springs stretch from either side to lift the door, while torsion springs sit above and use the tension the springs store while the door is closed as energy to lift it when it opens.

Each type of spring uses its tension to offset the weight of the door, providing a counterbalance to its weight, keeping everything stable. The potential energy that these springs hold is enormous, so it can be a safety hazard when they break.

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.
The garage door opener is making grinding or straining noises as it operates.
You heard the spring break, making a loud pop noise.
The garage door is off its tracks.

Can You Open a Garage Door With a Broken Spring?

A garage door can still open if the spring is broken, but it takes a bit of manual effort. Trying to open it automatically with the opener could strain the motor or burn it out since the broken spring makes the door heavier to lift.

We recommend not trying 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.

Safety Precautions Before Attempting to Open the Door

When opening a garage door with a broken spring, take the right precautions. Garage doors are heavy and can cause injury if you drop them, so it’s best to have a partner to help you lift them. Make sure the area is clear of pets and children and that there are no possible obstructions or tripping hazards.

The final safety necessity is ensuring you have the correct gear. You will need the following:

Sturdy footwear
Safety goggles
Gloves

How to Open a Garage Door With a Broken Spring

Follow these four steps to safely open your garage door with a broken spring.

Step One: Gather Necessary Tools and Helpers

You will need tools, safety gear and at least one assistant to help you lift the door. For tools, you should have a pry bar, some locking pliers and a ladder.

Step Two: Disengage the Garage Door Opener

Make sure the door is in the down position — then, you’ll need to locate the emergency release cord, which is usually a red cord with a handle that hangs from the trolley. Pull this cord, and the door will disconnect from the opener.

Step Three: Lift the Door Manually

You and your helper should position yourselves on either side of the door. One of you can use the pry bar to get under the door so you can get a grip from underneath. Once you both have a grip, lift slowly and evenly using your legs so as not to hurt your back until it settles on the horizontal rails. Communicate with each other about how you are managing the weight as you lift. If the garage door is too heavy to move, do not endanger yourself by attempting to open the garage door anyway.

Step Four: Secure the Door in the Open Position

Now it’s time to use your locking pliers. Clamp onto the track, positioning just below the bottom roller to hold the door up. Ensure the door is stable before backing off.

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’s closed.
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.

When to Contact a Professional

Safety is key! So, if you don’t have the necessary tools, gear or helper or if you are unsure of what you are doing, contact a professional!

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.

Why Your Garage Door Light Won’t Work and How to Fix It

Garage door malfunctions can happen at any time. Even with top-quality garage door opener brands such as LiftMaster, components can occasionally become jammed or fail to operate normally. One common issue homeowners run into is their LiftMaster garage door light not turning off or turning on. While these problems don’t damage your residential garage door system, they can wear down the light’s battery or cause you to stumble in the dark. However, you can easily fix these issues.

Read on to learn some tips for garage door light troubleshooting. For example, if your garage door light won’t turn on or off, try our solutions listed below.

Why Won’t My Garage Door Opener Light Turn Off?

If you are struggling to shut off your garage door light, there is likely a problem with your door’s motion sensor or light timer. More specifically, if your garage door light stays on, it is probably because of one of the following reasons:

The motion sensors for the garage door are triggering because of movement. These sensors control the light switch’s automatic on-and-off mechanism.
Your garage door’s light feature is continually being engaged by something in the doorway zone.
The light panel switch is on.

In rare cases, a faulty logic board may cause your garage door light to malfunction, which would require professional repair service.

Troubleshooting a Garage Door Light Remaining On

Checking to see why your garage door light won’t go off is a simple process since lights staying on usually stem from the lights settings. You can fix this issue of the light staying on by following these troubleshooting steps or watching this video:

Consult the Manual

Consult your LiftMaster garage door manual to ensure you know how to navigate your garage door’s features properly.

Check the Motion Sensor

Test your motion sensor’s light feature. You can turn it off from your control panel by selecting “Menu” > “Light Settings” > “Automatic Light” > “Motion Sensor,” which will disable the feature. Ensure that nothing passively moving in your garage will set the motion sensor off.

Inspect the Remote Control and Wall Switch

Check to see if your light switch is enabled or if the remote control has light on or off options. If you look at the side panel of the garage door, the light switch is there— if it is in the on position, turn it off.

Examine the Garage Door Opener

Inspect the garage door opener. Look specifically for anything that could obstruct the sensor or set it off in some way.

Check for Obstructions

Search the area for any obstructions by the garage door that may affect the sensors.

Look for Electrical Issues

Sometimes, the door’s wiring is the problem. First, reset your light timer to its lowest setting. Disconnect the power from the unit, and the wiring from the opener. Reconnect the power after one and a half minutes, and the lights should come on.

When to Contact a Professional

If you still are having issues after troubleshooting, aren’t comfortable with repairing the logic board wiring yourself or are experiencing any unusual sounds or behavior from your garage door opener, you need to call a professional for garage door service.

Why Won’t My Garage Door Opener Light Turn On?

If your LiftMaster opener light is not working and you are consistently walking into a dark garage, your light may have one of these common causes of failure:

Burnt-out light bulb
Faulty light socket or connections
Issues with the garage door opener
Problems with the remote control or wall switch
Electrical or wiring issues

Troubleshooting a Garage Door Opener Light Failure

When your garage door opener light fails, you should go through the following list to start eliminating possible causes and get to the root of the problem:

Check the light bulb: First, look for telltale signs the lightbulb is blown, like black marks or loose bits inside it.
Examine the light socket: If the lightbulb is fine, check the light socket for scorch marks or anything out of the ordinary. Remember to be safe — only look, and don’t touch.
Inspect the garage door opener: Next, look at the opener itself to see if there are any loose connections or damage.
Test the wall switch and remote control: After inspecting the opener, conduct on/off tests with the wall switch, and check your manual to see if there are light controls on your remote you can test.
Search for electrical issues on the property: Turn the power off before working with wiring or electricity. Then, inspect wires that run from the opener and any other exposed electrical parts for damage.

Contact Garage Door Specialists, Inc. Today

If you’re having trouble with a LiftMaster garage door light that won’t turn on or shut off, it’s time to contact the professionals at Garage Door Specialists, Inc. You can feel confident that we’ll respond to your issues quickly.

Can You Open Your Garage Door With a Broken Spring?