It sounded like a gunshot in the garage
Broken garage door spring
A bang like a firework followed by a door that won't lift is almost always a snapped torsion spring. It's the most common garage door failure there is.
Call 214-733-2371Don't try to force it open
With the spring gone, the door weighs 150–300 lb and nothing is counterbalancing it. Lifting it by hand risks it slamming down, and running the opener will burn out the motor or snap the cables. Leave it closed and call us.
Likely causes
What’s probably wrong
- 1
Snapped torsion spring
The spring above the door carries the door's entire weight. When it breaks it releases that energy all at once — hence the bang — and the door becomes far too heavy for the opener to lift.
- 2
Broken extension spring
Older doors use springs running along the horizontal tracks instead. Same failure, same symptom, slightly different repair.
- 3
Spring at end of cycle life
Springs are rated in cycles, not years. A standard spring is good for roughly seven to ten thousand open-and-close cycles, which for most families is around seven years.
Start here
Not quite it?
These are the other five failures we get called out for most.
- Loud bang, now it won't openIt sounded like a gunshot in the garageWhat this means
- It came off the trackJammed in the opening, rollers out of the trackWhat this means
- It closes, then opens againIt goes down a foot and reverses back upWhat this means
- The cables are looseSlack cable, or one side has droppedWhat this means
- The opener hums but nothing movesMotor runs, door stays putWhat this means
- There's a gap along the bottomDaylight, water, or leaves getting inWhat this means
Not on the list? Call (214) 733-2371 and describe what it’s doing — we’ll tell you what we think before we come out.
Get started
Get help with a broken garage door spring
Tell us what's happening and where, and we'll call you back. If the door is stuck or a car is trapped, phone us — that's always faster.
- Hours
- Open 24 hours, 7 days a week
- Shop
- 1912 University Business Dr Suite 403, McKinney, Texas 75071
- Response time
- Same-day service on most repair calls
Request service
Four quick questions. We’ll ask the rest when we call.