Garage Door Won't Open? It's Probably the Spring — Here's How to Tell
When a garage door suddenly won't open, a broken torsion spring is the culprit more often than everything else combined. The good news: it's a same-day, few-hundred-dollar repair. The bad news: it's genuinely dangerous to DIY.
The telltale signs of a broken spring
- A loud bang from the garage — often heard from inside the house — when it snapped
- A visible 1–2 inch gap in the spring coil above the door
- The opener strains, lifts the door a few inches, then stops or reverses
- The door feels extremely heavy when you pull the red release cord and lift manually
- Cables hanging loose or off their drums
Why this isn't a DIY job
Torsion springs are wound under enormous tension — they counterbalance a 150–300 lb door — and releasing that tension without winding bars and experience causes serious injuries every year. This is one of the few home repairs where the professional labor cost buys safety, not just convenience. Also: don't keep hitting the opener button. Forcing a spring-broken door can bend the top panel and burn out the opener motor, turning one repair into three.
What it costs in 2026
| Repair | Typical cost |
|---|---|
| Torsion spring replacement (single) | $180 – $350 |
| Torsion spring replacement (pair) | $250 – $500 |
| Extension spring pair | $150 – $350 |
| Cable replacement | $100 – $250 |
| Opener repair | $100 – $300 |
| New opener installed | $350 – $900 |
Always replace springs in pairs on a two-spring door — the second spring has the same mileage and typically fails within months, costing you a second service call. Full project pricing is in our garage door cost guide.
If it's not the spring
- Photo-eye sensors misaligned or blocked (door won't close, opener light blinks)
- Opener disengaged — the red release cord was pulled; re-engage the trolley
- Dead remote/keypad batteries or wiped codes after a power outage
- Track obstruction or a bent roller — listen for grinding at one spot
Spring lifespan is measured in cycles, not years — standard springs are rated ~10,000 cycles (7–10 years of typical use). If yours failed early, ask the tech to quote high-cycle springs; the upgrade usually adds only $20–$50 per spring.
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to replace a garage door spring?
In 2026, a single torsion spring replacement runs $180–$350 installed, and a pair $250–$500. Extension springs are slightly cheaper. Same-day service is standard for spring failures since the door is unusable.
Can I open my garage door with a broken spring?
You can pull the red emergency release and lift manually, but the door will be extremely heavy — use two people and never let it drop. Don't run the opener repeatedly; it can bend panels and burn out the motor.
How long do garage door springs last?
Standard torsion springs are rated for about 10,000 open/close cycles — roughly 7–10 years at 3–4 cycles a day. High-cycle springs rated 20,000+ cycles cost modestly more and are worth it for heavily used doors.