No. Garage door torsion springs hold high tension, and manufacturer warning labels say repairs and adjustments must be made only by a trained door systems technician with the right tools. A slipped winding bar or a loose bracket can cause serious injury or death. You can look at the springs and run safety checks, but replacement belongs to a technician.
Why springs are the dangerous part
A garage door weighs far more than one person can comfortably hold up. The springs do that work: they store energy as they are wound and release it to lift the door. DASMA, the garage door industry association, points out that the garage door is typically the largest moving appliance in the home and that its operation requires a high degree of spring tension. That is why it urges homeowners to consult a trained door systems technician for spring repairs.
The warning label on spring hardware says the same thing in blunter words. One torsion spring instruction sheet says high spring tension can cause serious injury or death and tells readers not to try to remove, repair or adjust springs, or the brackets, cables and other parts they are attached to. A Duralift spring sheet says installation by a professional is highly recommended.
What goes wrong when a homeowner tries
The risk is not one single step. It is the combination of stored energy, a high ladder and tools that can slip. The manufacturer sheet says to use only the specified winding bars and not to substitute screwdrivers or pipe, because other tools may fail and cause serious personal injury. It also asks for safety glasses, sound footing and a closed door while the spring is wound or adjusted.
A spring that is the wrong size is a second problem. Springs are matched to the weight of the door. If the spring is too weak or too strong the door will not balance, and CPSC warns that a severely unbalanced door could unexpectedly crash to the floor, possibly striking someone under the open door.
What you can do and what to leave alone
Safe for you
- Look at the springs and cables from the floor, without touching them
- Listen for a loud bang, then check for a gap in the coil
- Run the monthly balance and reverse checks
- Keep the tracks clear and note any new noise
- Photograph the spring label or wire size for the quote
Leave to a technician
- Winding, unwinding or adjusting any torsion spring
- Replacing a spring or a cable under tension
- Loosening spring brackets, cable drums or set screws
- Straightening a bent track while the spring is wound
- Anything on a door that is heavy, crooked or off track
If a spring breaks: what to do right now
Stop using the door
Do not run the opener against a door that has lost its spring. Without working springs the weight of the door falls on the opener and the cables.
Keep people and pets clear
Nobody should stand or walk under the door. A door that is heavy or crooked can drop.
Leave a closed door closed
If the door is shut, leave it shut and do not try to force it up by hand. See how to open a garage door manually only if you must get a car out, and ask for help.
Look, but do not touch
Note a gap in the coil, a frayed cable or a bent bracket. Take a photo from a safe distance.
Call a technician
Give the door size and what you heard. See the signs of a broken spring.
Doors that are heavy, bind or stick should be serviced by a professional, according to CPSC. A forced opener can strip its gear or drop the door.
What a proper spring job includes
A technician does more than swap a spring. They match the spring to the door, usually replace both springs on a two-spring door because the second is the same age, and check the cables, drums, brackets and rollers that wear at the same pace. Then they balance the door and test the reverse before leaving.
- The spring type, wire size, length and cycle rating
- Whether one spring or both are replaced
- Cables, drums and brackets checked or replaced
- A balance test, with the door staying put when lifted halfway
- A reverse test with a 2x4 laid flat on the floor, as CPSC recommends
What it costs when we do it
A torsion spring pair for a standard two-car door is $250 to $450 with us, and heavy-duty springs are $350 to $900. A single spring is $180 to $300, although we usually advise replacing both. We confirm the final price after we see the door and before we start. For what moves the price, see garage door spring replacement cost and our spring repair page.
Where we come in
Emil Garage Doors repairs springs and cables across Southern California, and our city pages cover California, including Chowchilla, Upland and Manhattan Beach. Call (213) 340-4232 or send the estimate form and we will tell you what to expect before anyone touches the door.
Questions people ask
Is it safe to replace garage door springs yourself?
We do not recommend it. Manufacturer labels warn that high spring tension can cause serious injury or death and that repairs and adjustments must be made only by a trained door systems technician.
Can I use a screwdriver to wind a torsion spring?
No. The manufacturer sheet says to use only the specified winding bars and not to substitute screwdrivers or pipe, because other tools may fail and cause serious injury.
Should I replace one spring or both?
Usually both. The two springs have done the same number of cycles, so the second is likely to break soon after the first.
Can I still use the opener if a spring is broken?
No. A door that is heavy, binds or sticks should be serviced by a professional. Running the opener against it can damage the opener and drop the door.
Our related services
City pages near you
We repair and install in these cities. Each page has local notes, prices and reviews.
Read next
Sources
- DASMA, Torsion Spring Terrorism? (response on spring tension and trained technicians)
- Duralift torsion spring and winding rod instructions with warning (hosted by Lowe's)
- Installation instruction for a torsion spring counterbalance assembly for residential sectional doors (door manufacturer sheet)
- U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, Non-Reversing Automatic Garage Door Openers Are a Hazard (Pub. 523)