Garage door springs have one function, and that is to “LIFT” the garage door. They are actually part of the garage door itself, not the garage door opener. The garage door springs make it much easier to raise and lower the door. There are two types of garage door springs; extension and torsion. Extension springs are located on the sides of the garage door and torsion springs are located above the garage door opening. Springs are designed to last a long time but eventually they will snap and break. This is usually due to the repeated lifting of the door, the extreme tension they are under all the time and variations in temperature due to our unpredictable Utah weather. We see the majority of garage door springs break when the temperature changes dramatically or it is extremely cold.
How do I know if my garage door spring is broken? Usually you will hear a very loud noise or pop, and I mean VERY loud! Most people don’t 
realize it is their garage door spring until they try to open their garage door and it won’t move. Even at this point you most likely won’t notice the broken spring unless you know what to look for. Look at the big torsion spring above the center of the door and it will be separated. ( see photo) Don’t worry, it will still be attached to the spring bar but it will be broken into 2 pieces.
What do I do now? Can I fix the broken spring myself? We at Anderson Garage Doors do not recommend fixing a torsion spring yourself. Why? Because it is very dangerous. Those springs are under an enormous amount of tension, and one slip up could easily cause serious injury. Replacing broken garage door springs also requires special tools and training. There are many different size garage door springs. Each door needs to be fit with the correct size spring or the door will not work properly. Professionals need to determine wire size, the inside diameter and length of each spring and what hand the spring is wound. Anderson Garage Doors has a special spring gauge to help determine exactly the right spring for your door. Most retailers will not sell replacement springs to anyone but professional installers.
Do I need to replace both springs? In our 21 years of garage door service we have never pushed our clients to replace both springs when only one is broken. We have found that the other spring can last for quite a bit longer. Yet, replacing both springs at the same time will save you money in the long run. The cost will be a bit higher now but will usually save our customers the cost of another $65 service call later on. The choice is yours. Most people don’t budget for this kind of thing so we understand if you only want to replace the broken one.
What can I do until I can get the spring replaced? Our office will take calls anytime. We carry a large variety of springs and stock all standard garage door spring sizes. If we do not have the particular spring you need then we will find it and have it delivered and installed the next day. If you are stuck in your garage, Anderson Garage Doors will be happy to come and help you get your vehicles out until the spring can be replaced. Otherwise you can pull the release cord of the garage door opener and try pushing the door up yourself. Please get help when doing this. The door will be very heavy and can fall down causing damage. When your vehicles are out be sure to carefully put the door back down. When closing, keep a hold of the door at all times so it doesn’t fall.
Over time through lifting, tension and weather changes garage door springs will weaken and eventually break. This can happen several times over the life of your door. When you hear that “pop” just pick up your phone and call Anderson Garage Doors. We are ready and willing to get your garage door up and running again!