Tips to Open a Garage Door When a Spring is Broken

A garage door spring functions as a counterweight to the door and helps it stay stable and balanced during its operations. When it breaks, the garage door opener in Southlake loses its support, making it difficult to operate. In this condition, it is risky to open your garage door. But in an absolute emergency, exercise extreme caution to do it. Any garage door spring - torsion or extension can cause serious injury or death if not handled properly. Therefore, leave the task to professionals. However, if you can't wait for a technician to address the issue, use the tips below to open your garage door. 

Tips to Open a Garage Door With Broken Spring

Torsion Spring Garage Door 

If you see one or more spings running along a metal shaft (called a torsion tube) above your garage door near the header, it means you have a torsion spring system in your garage door. 

1. Get someone to assist

Garage doors are heavy, approximately weighing 100 to 250 lbs. Attempting it to open with a broken garage door spring is dangerous. Grab a partner for assistance. 

2. Check surroundings and exercise extreme caution 

Carefully inspect your garage door before attempting any lifting. Ensure children/ pets stay away from the area. Use extreme caution to protect your limbs while opening the garage door.

3. Refrain using the garage door opener

Without the garage door opener and broken garage door spring, it will feel heavy to lift. But, do it manually to avoid further damage.

4. Disconnect the door from the opener

Check if your garage door is touching the ground or not before disconnecting it from the garage door opener. It will prevent accidents from sudden slamming down of garage door. Pull the red cord to disconnect it from your garage door opener.

5. Lift the garage door

With the assistance of your partner, lift the garage door until it gets fully raised along the horizontal rails. If the garage door feels too heavy, discontinue lifting, and call a professional garage door repair service immediately. While closing the garage door, ensure to hold it steadily till it touches the ground to prevent it from falling abruptly.

Extension Spring Garage Door

Extension springs come attached to a cable to the bottom corners of your garage door. The cables prevent the broken garage door spring from flying across the room, causing injury. Use the same tips for opening a garage door with a broken extension spring, but take a few additional actions.

●Place two crowbars under the garage door seal to get leverage opening it with your partner.

●When it opens fully, use heavy-duty vice clamps to keep it in place. Also, position a ladder under the door to hold it up from each end longer.

Conclusion

Use these tips in case of emergency. It is dangerous to open a garage door with a broken spring. Exercise caution and leave its replacement to professionals.