Heard a loud bang from the garage, and now the door won't go up? A broken spring is the most likely cause. The spring does the actual lifting, so once it breaks, the door becomes dead weight and the opener can't raise it alone.
Overdoors of Florida has been fixing garage doors in Naples since 1983. We're family-owned, licensed, bonded and insured, and you get an up-front price before any work begins. Emergency calls are taken 24/7.
Door stuck right now? Call or text (239) 643-7612.
Torsion springs vs. extension springs
Most home garage doors use one of two kinds of spring. One look tells you which you have.
Torsion springs
Torsion springs sit on a metal bar mounted just above the top of the door. They wind tight as the door closes, then unwind as it opens, turning drums that wind up the lift cables and raise the door. Many newer doors use one or two torsion springs.
Extension springs
Extension springs run along the overhead tracks on each side of the door. They stretch as the door closes and pull back as it opens, and you'll often find them on older and lighter doors. Each one should have a safety cable running through it, so a broken spring can't fly across the garage. If yours don't, mention it when we visit.
Signs your garage door spring is broken
A broken spring is hard to miss. Watch for:
- A loud bang. A snapping torsion spring can sound like a gunshot, sometimes when nobody is near the door.
- The door won't lift, or stops after a few inches. Without the spring, it's too heavy to raise.
- A gap at the top. A broken torsion spring shows a clear gap in the coil above the door.
- The opener strains. The motor hums, the door shudders or rises a little, then stops or reverses.
- A crooked door or loose cables. A cable can slip off its drum and leave one side higher than the other.
- The door slams down when it closes, instead of settling gently.
What to do right now
- Stop pressing the opener button. Each try strains the motor and can bend the top panel.
- Leave the door where it is, and keep kids and pets clear. If it's open, don't pull the red emergency release cord: without a working spring, the door can come down hard.
- Call or text us. A trapped car, or a garage that won't close for the night, is what our 24/7 emergency service is for.
Why spring repair is not a DIY job
It isn't a weekend project, and you won't find how-to steps here.
A spring stores enough energy to balance the full weight of your door. Torsion springs are wound with steel winding bars, and the cables and bottom brackets are under tension too. If a tool slips or the wrong part comes loose, that energy lets go in a split second. Serious injuries happen this way.
Sizing matters too. The wrong spring leaves the door out of balance, so it slams or shoots up and wears out the opener.
If the opener won't respond at all, a few safe checks are fine: the remote's batteries, the lock button on the wall control, and the safety sensors near the floor (lined up, nothing blocking them). But if the door is heavy, crooked or stuck after a bang, skip the troubleshooting and call a trained technician.
Why springs wear out faster in Southwest Florida
- Salt air. Near the Gulf, salt settles on everything in the garage and speeds up rust.
- Humidity. Even inland, damp air hangs in garages much of the year, and moisture on bare steel turns to rust.
Rust does two kinds of damage. It roughens the coils so they grind as they wind, and it eats small pits into the steel. Those weak spots are where a spring is likely to snap. If you can see rust on your springs, have them looked at before one breaks.
What happens on a spring repair visit
- Diagnose. We find which spring broke and why, and check the cables, drums, rollers and opener that work with it.
- Up-front price. You get a clear price before any work begins. If we spot something else, we explain it and you decide.
- Replace. We install springs sized for your door's weight and height, plus any other repairs you've approved.
- Balance. We set the spring tension so the door lifts smoothly and stays put when it's partway open.
- Safety check. We run the door several times and test the opener's safety sensors and auto-reverse before we finish.
Replacing springs in pairs, and matching your door
If your door has two springs and one broke, it's usually smart to replace both. They went in together and have worked just as hard, so the second one is often not far behind. Replacing both keeps the door evenly balanced and can save you a second service call. We'll price the options before we start.
Springs also have to match the door's weight, height and hardware, not just what was there before. New panels, added insulation or windows can make a door heavier over the years, and impact-rated doors with extra bracing tend to weigh more too.
Cables and rollers get checked at the same time
A spring rarely fails alone. The jolt of a break can knock a cable off its drum or fray it, and worn rollers make the springs and opener work harder every day. So on a spring call, we also check the cables, drums, rollers, hinges, tracks and opener. If anything needs attention, you'll get a price before we touch it. For other problems, see garage door repair and garage door openers.
24/7 emergency spring repair
Springs tend to break at the worst moment: before work, late at night, or with a storm coming and your car stuck inside. Our office is open Monday to Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM. Emergency calls are taken 24/7, and we offer same or next-day service when possible.
We repair springs across Naples, North Naples, Bonita Springs, Marco Island, Golden Gate Estates and the rest of Collier County. See all our service areas.
Frequently asked questions
Can I open my garage door with a broken spring?
It isn't safe to try. Without a working spring you'd be lifting the door's full weight, and it can drop without warning. Running the opener can damage the motor and bend the door. If your car is stuck inside, call our 24/7 emergency line.
How much does garage door spring repair cost?
It depends on the spring type, how many springs your door uses, its size and weight, and whether cables or other parts need work. So instead of posting a price online, we look at your door and give you an up-front price before any work begins.
Should I replace both springs if only one broke?
In most cases, yes. Springs installed together wear at about the same rate, and replacing both keeps the door balanced.
Why did my garage door spring break?
Every spring wears out: each time the door moves, the steel flexes and slowly fatigues. Here, rust from salt air and humidity speeds that up, and a spring that's the wrong size for the door wears out sooner.
Get your garage door moving again
Don't fight a broken spring. Call or text Overdoors of Florida at (239) 643-7612, or request a free quote and we'll call you back. We're family-owned since 1983 and 5-star rated on Google. We Sell the Best and Repair the Rest.