Opening Your Garage Door When The Springs Are Broken

Garage door springs act as a counterbalance when the door moves up and down. When these components break down, it can cause major issues with the entire system. If your garage door springs stop working, you may wonder if you can use the system at all. Here are some tips that can help answer that question.

Do not use an automatic opener if the springs are broken

Although some garage doors are equipped with openers that can move the door up and down, you should not use them if the springs are broken. If you do, it could damage the operator and panels. Here are some examples of what can happen in this situation.

• The opener can break or burn out gears.
• The chain, belt, or trolley may break.
• The panels on the door can collapse.
• The opener J arm bracket can tear off its screws.
• The opener rail can bend.
• In extreme cases, the motor may fall off.
• If the door is moving and something breaks, it could fall.

If you MUST open the garage door, do it manually

It is not recommended that you open your garage when the springs are broken. But, if you need to, there are steps you can take to do so manually. Before you do this, keep a few things in mind. You should always have at least one other person to help you, most garage doors are quite heavy, and you will need some tools to assist you.

1. First, make sure you have someone to help you, or more than one person. Garage doors can weigh hundreds of pounds. Your safety is more important than getting the door open.
2. You and the other person will need to put a six-foot ladder on each side of the garage door.
3. You will each need a crowbar for this step. Position the crowbars on each side of the bottom of the door. This allows you to lift up and get under the seal.
4. Lift the door at the same time, making sure that each side is even until you get to the very top. Then, you will each need to use a vice grip under the sides of the track, right under the bottom rollers.
5. Next, remove the grips and place each step ladder under the door, carefully lowering it until it is secure. Place the vice grips back under the bottom wheels when you are done.
6. Finally, get everything out of the garage that you need to. You can reverse the steps to close the door, but this is not recommended.

Contact a professional garage door repair company

If your garage door springs are broken, calling in an expert is the best (and safest) way to solve the problem. Local, professional companies will be able to get to you quickly. They have the expertise and experience to get your system running again.

If you need help with your garage door, Integrity Overhead Door in Amarillo is here for you. We offer a variety of services, including Broken Spring Replacement. Give us a call at (806) 552-9519 or Contact Us by Email for more information.