A garage door spring is wound tight to carry the weight of the door, and the cables and brackets connected to it are under the same load. The door industry says do not remove, repair or adjust springs, cables or brackets: a trained door systems technician must do it with the right tools and instructions.
What the spring and cables do
A garage door weighs far more than most people can lift for long. The spring does the lifting: it is wound so that it holds up the door's weight, which lets you raise the door by hand and lets the opener use a small motor. Steel cables run from the bottom corners of the door to the spring system, and they carry that load.
That is why a spring is not a simple part you can unbolt. It is a charged device, and the cables and brackets connected to it carry the same tension.
Why they are dangerous
The Door and Access Systems Manufacturers Association (DASMA) states that springs and spring hardware are under high tension. In its consumer checklist, the association says not to try to remove, repair or adjust springs or door parts and mounting surfaces such as wood blocks, steel brackets and cables, because of the potential dangers.
The risk is two-sided. A tool that slips during a repair can release that tension suddenly. And a door that loses its spring or cable can stop being balanced. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) notes that a severely unbalanced door could unexpectedly crash to the floor, possibly striking someone under the open door.
Containment matters as well. DASMA explains that torsion springs ride on a shaft, which contains the spring if it breaks, while extension springs should have a secure cable running through the center to hold the pieces if it fails.
Do not try to wind, unwind, loosen or swap a spring, and do not loosen a cable or bracket to see how it works. Those jobs are for a trained door systems technician, as DASMA states.
Do and do not
Safe to do
- Look at the springs and cables from the floor, with the door closed
- Run the monthly balance and reverse tests in garage door safety tests
- Keep people, pets and cars out from under a door that is not working
- Take a photo of anything that looks damaged and send it to a technician
Leave to a technician
- Winding, unwinding or adjusting a torsion spring
- Replacing or tightening a cable, drum or bottom bracket
- Lifting a heavy door by hand to see how it moves
- Forcing the opener to run a door with a broken spring
What to do if a spring or cable breaks
Stop using the door
DASMA says if a spring is broken, do not operate the door until the spring is replaced. Do not press the wall button over and over.
Keep clear
Keep people and cars out from under and next to the door, open or closed. Do not try to lift it.
Do not touch the hardware
Leave the spring, the cable and the bottom brackets alone, even if a cable hangs loose.
Note what you see
A visible gap in the coil, a frayed or slipped cable or a door that sits crooked tells the technician what to bring.
Call a technician
Describe what you saw and ask when the door can be made safe.
Why a video or a kit does not change this
Online videos and parts kits make a spring job look routine, and DASMA describes the risk as well documented and known to manufacturers, the CPSC and the National Safety Council. Its advice is to consult a trained door systems technician. The right bar for a spring is the right tools, the right spring for the door's weight and the right procedure. See is it safe to replace springs yourself and how long springs last.
What a technician repair costs
A torsion spring pair for a standard two-car door runs $250 to $450, and a lift cable pair runs $175 to $350. The final price is confirmed after we see the door, because door weight and cable length change the spring size. For a full look at the work, see garage door spring repair and garage door cable repair.
Call us
Emil Garage Doors repairs springs and cables in Southern California, including in Chula Vista; we also have city pages for Pinole and Paso Robles. Call (213) 340-4232 or send the estimate form. If a spring or cable has broken, tell us on the phone so we can plan the visit.
Questions people ask
Why are garage door springs dangerous?
They are wound under high tension to carry the door's weight, and a slipped tool or a failed part can release that tension suddenly. DASMA says repairs and adjustments must be performed by a trained door systems technician.
Can I replace a garage door spring myself?
DASMA and door manufacturers say no. Do not try to remove, repair or adjust springs, cables or brackets. Hire a trained door systems technician.
What should I do if my garage door spring breaks?
Stop using the door, keep people and cars clear and do not touch the spring or cables. Call a technician and describe what you see.
Are garage door cables dangerous too?
Yes. The cables carry the load between the door and the spring system, so they are under tension. DASMA lists cables with springs, steel brackets and wood blocks as parts you should not repair or adjust.
Services that fit this problem
Garage door and gate help near you
We repair and install in these cities. Each page has local notes, prices and reviews.
More guides
Sources
- DASMA Technical Data Sheet 167: Residential Sectional Garage Door and Electric Operator Checklist for Home Inspectors and Consumers
- DASMA: Torsion Spring Terrorism? (consult a trained door systems technician)
- U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, Non-Reversing Automatic Garage Door Openers Are a Hazard (Pub. 523)