Is Your Garage Door Trapping Your Car Inside Due to a Snapped Spring?

Is your garage door stuck on the ground, or did you hear a loud gunshot-like bang coming from the garage? You are likely dealing with a broken torsion or extension spring, a critical mechanical failure that renders your door heavy, dangerous, and inoperable, requiring professional intervention in Hartselle. Contact our service team or inquire about financing options to restore access to your home.

When a spring snaps, the counterweight system that lifts your heavy garage door fails, leaving you with dead weight that your opener cannot and should not attempt to lift. Continuing to operate the door in this state can strip the gears of your opener or cause the door to crash down, posing severe safety risks to people and property. Good Golly Garage Doors provide a solution that prioritizes speed, safety, and mechanical precision.

• Same-day repair services ensure you never have to leave your vehicle trapped overnight or your home unsecured.
• Our team of certified experts performs a comprehensive system balance to guarantee a safe, efficient fix that preserves your door’s longevity.
• No hidden fees for complete transparency before any work begins.

All repairs strictly comply with local building codes for your peace of mind.

Expert Service Details: Scope, Timelines, Inclusions

When you encounter a broken spring, you need more than just a quick part swap; you need a restoration of the door’s counterbalance system. Good Golly Garage Doors provides a comprehensive service protocol designed to address the emergency while preventing future failures. 

The scope of our spring repair service focuses on identifying the correct spring wire size, inside diameter, and length required to lift your specific door. Installing a “close enough” spring is not an option; an incorrect spring puts unnecessary strain on the opener and can cause the cables to jump off the drums. Our service includes the removal of the fractured spring, the installation of high-grade tempered steel replacements, and a full safety inspection of the connecting hardware.

Timelines are critical in these situations. Since a broken spring effectively traps your vehicle, we prioritize these calls for same-day service. In most cases, a technician can be onsite within hours of your call. The actual repair process typically takes between 45 minutes to an hour, depending on the complexity of the door system and access to the torsion bar.

• Inspection and Measurement: We measure the existing spring and weigh the door to determine the exact torque requirements.
• Hardware Review: We check the condition of lift cables, drums, and center bearings, as these components endure high stress when a spring breaks.
• Opener Diagnostics: We verify that your automatic opener was not damaged during the spring failure.
• Lubrication and Tuning: The service concludes with a full lubrication of hinges, rollers, and the new springs to ensure quiet operation.

Understanding Your Garage Door Spring Repair Process

Repairing a garage door spring is widely considered the most dangerous task in residential maintenance due to the extreme tension held in the coils. A standard torsion spring holds enough potential energy to lift a 200 to 300-pound object effortlessly. If this energy is released uncontrollably, it can cause severe injury. We utilize a strict, step-by-step protocol to ensure the safety of your home and our technicians.

The process begins with securing the door. A door with a broken spring is unstable. We clamp the door to the track to prevent it from sliding down or shooting up unexpectedly during the winding process. This creates a static environment where the mechanical work can be performed safely. Once the door is immobilized, we loosen the set screws on the winding cones to release any remaining tension in the unbroken spring (if you have a dual-spring system).

• First, the torsion tube is disconnected from the center bracket, allowing the old springs to be slid off the shaft.
• Next, the new springs are slid onto the torsion tube, and the cable drums are reset to ensure the lift cables have equal tension on both sides.
• Then, the springs are bolted to the center bracket and wound to the specific number of turns required for your door height.
• Finally, the technician performs a balance test, lifting the door manually to waist height to ensure it floats in place without falling or shooting up.

The balance test is the most critical step. A properly balanced door should feel like it weighs only a few pounds when lifted by hand. If the door drifts down, the springs need more tension; if it pulls up, they need less. We fine-tune this balance until the door operates smoothly, relieving the strain on your automatic opener.

Deciding Between Repair vs. Replacement of Garage Door Springs

Homeowners often ask if they can repair a single broken spring or if they must replace the entire set. While it is technically possible to replace just the one snapped spring, industry best practices and mechanical logic strongly dictate replacing both springs simultaneously. Springs are installed in pairs and undergo the same number of tension cycles every time you open and close the door. If one spring has reached the end of its fatigue life, the second spring is likely only days or weeks away from failure.

Replacing only one spring creates an imbalance in the system. The new spring will be strong and tight, while the old spring will be stretched and fatigued. This forces the new spring to work harder, shortening its lifespan and causing the door to lift unevenly. Uneven lifting can warp the door panels and damage the track alignment.

We also assist in deciding between standard-cycle springs and high-cycle springs. This decision depends on your usage patterns.

• Standard Cycle Springs: typically rated for 10,000 cycles. This equates to roughly 3 to 5 years of usage for a household that uses the door as the main entry point. This is the standard builder-grade option.
• High Cycle Springs: Rated for 25,000 to 50,000 cycles or more. These springs are larger and more robust.
• Powder Coated vs. Galvanized: We help you choose between oil-tempered springs (standard, messy but durable) and galvanized or powder-coated springs (cleaner, rust-resistant).

If your garage door system is over 15 or 20 years old and showing signs of significant wear on the panels, tracks, and hardware, we may discuss whether investing in spring replacement is cost-effective compared to a total door replacement. However, for the majority of residential issues, a dual-spring replacement is the most efficient route to restoring functionality.

Why Choose Us: Local Expertise and Proven Reliability

When your garage door fails, you need a partner who understands the urgency of the situation and possesses the technical capability to resolve it. We do not act as a call center for out-of-state contractors; we are locally focused and deeply familiar with the residential architecture found in the area. Our technicians are trained to handle everything from standard steel doors to custom carriage house wood doors that require specific spring calculations.

We differentiate our services through preparation and transparency. Our trucks function as mobile warehouses, stocked with a wide variety of spring sizes and wire gauges. This inventory depth allows us to complete the repair in a single visit, rather than forcing you to wait for parts to be ordered. We respect your time and your property, ensuring that the work area is clean and the door is fully operational before we leave.

• Certified Technicians: Our staff undergoes rigorous training on all major door brands and spring systems.
• Safety First: We utilize professional-grade winding bars and safety equipment to manage high-tension repairs without risk.

Contact Us Today

Good Golly Garage Doors is committed to restoring the safety and convenience of your home access. Whether you are dealing with a single snapped coil or a completely seized system, our team is ready to deploy to get your door moving again.

Don’t let a broken spring disrupt your day or compromise your home’s security; contact us now to schedule your same-day repair service.