How to Open a Garage Door with a Broken Spring (Don't!)

We get this question all the time: “How do I open my garage door if the spring is broken?” The short answer is don’t. It’s not just difficult, it’s dangerous. A standard garage door can weigh anywhere from 150 lbs. to over 300 lbs. for larger double-car doors. Without the spring to counterbalance that weight, you’re essentially trying to deadlift a small car door, and that’s asking for trouble.

Why It’s So Dangerous

Here’s the reality: garage door springs are what make the door open smoothly. They carry most of the load, not your garage door opener. If you try to open the door with a broken spring:

• The full weight can come crashing down unexpectedly.
• It can bend or break your tracks, cables, and hardware.
• You risk serious injury to yourself, others, or damage to your car.
• Using your opener can strip gears, snap belts, or rip the operator bracket right off your door.

What If You Absolutely Must Open It?

If you’re stuck and absolutely have to open your garage door, use extreme caution. It takes two capable adults to safely lift a door without a spring. If you do this, you’ll need:

• Strong clamps on the bottom rollers to hold the door in place once raised.
• 2x4 blocks under both ends of the door to act as a fail-safe.

Even then, things can go wrong quickly. That’s why our best advice is to avoid it altogether.

The Better Option: Replace the Spring Fast

Instead of risking damage (and hospital bills), order a replacement spring. We carry torsion, extension, and TorqueMaster springs with same-day shipping if you order early, plus overnight shipping options. That means your door could be fixed as soon as tomorrow.

Save Money (and Headaches)

Here’s the good news: fixing a broken spring yourself can save you hundreds of dollars in service calls. We’ve got step-by-step YouTube tutorials to walk you through the repair. With the right part in hand, you’ll be back up and running quickly without risking broken hardware or a busted opener.

Final Word

If your garage door spring breaks, don’t panic and don’t force the door open. Instead, grab the right replacement spring, take advantage of our fast shipping, and repair it the safe (and cost-effective) way.