Garage door won't open- Wife said she heard a loud noise last night- this is what I found

My sister told me that a friend of hers had one break in the middle of the night a few weeks ago . Scared the hell out of her and knocked a hole in the wall .
 
two steel bars & count to 35?
I can do that.
Next time I here that familiar gunshot sound from the garage.........
 
Quick update. A garage door tech came out (I was not home). He told my Wife he can do the job, but the springs are on backorder and does not know when they will come in. This is a newer house, surprised spring would give. Maybe builder grade springs?

I likely can do this job, but I have about 25 projects going on, and am preparing to move to Tacoma, WA in 45 days, so I am farming this one out.

Now to find a company with the parts in stock. The tech said if he had the parts total cost with labor would have been $275.
 
This happened to me about 10 years ago. Had a pro come out and put in a larger heavy duty spring and haven't had a problem with it since.
 
Mine broke overnight a few years ago, and I'm thankful that it happened while the door was not in use. My neighbor's spring popped while the door was in transit, and the door came off the track on one side. It was not pretty.
 
Just a "current reminiscence" here:

I have neighbors, an 87 year old husband and wife, I do favors for. I've removed a bed, do maintenance on their car, cleared entire classifications of items from the basement (Christmas decorations) etc.

The "Dad" (my younger brother and cousins went to school with their daughter) asks me to hook up overnight charging for the car or fetch a cooler in the garage because he can no longer lift the door.

His door is so perfectly counter-sprung you can lift it with your pinky finger.

Don't hold your breath waiting for me to get that infirm.
 
This is not dangerous, it's a simple DIY fix. The only special tool you need are a pair of winding rods, they're like $12 for a pair on Amazon. Watch this guy wind the spring and tell me OP can't.
The point is there is a person - a human - doing this job. Why not the OP, as long as he know what he is doing and feels comfortable about it?
 
I've only personally dealt with two broken springs. Being a failure analyst by profession, I'd take the springs to work to show and have fun with my colleagues. Both springs had a mill seam defect at the fracture origin. I question these "experts" who blame it on lack of lubrication.
 
Being a failure analyst by profession, I'd take the springs to work to show and have fun with my colleagues. I question these "experts" who blame it on lack of lubrication.
Kestas- is this you at your day job/ real life?
OIP.jpg
 
I won't comment on whether a DIY'er should do this job since we all know our limitations, but I will say it's a wise idea to have a spare set of springs available for when they break, and they will all break eventually.
 
I won't comment on whether a DIY'er should do this job since we all know our limitations, but I will say it's a wise idea to have a spare set of springs available for when they break, and they will all break eventually.
I have been in many homes since the 1980s. This is the first time this has ever happened to me.

I had no idea this is a common issue/ garage door springs fail from normal use/ age.
 
Went to open the garage door this morning and head to pull a part. Garage door would not open. Released the automatic opener, door would not manually open.

This is what I found. Looks like the left spring broke. For a change, I think this is best done by a garage door technician instead of myself.

View attachment 89458View attachment 89459

I had our door springs replaced for the second time in 13 years last week. Came home from dinner on Friday and the door wouldn’t open. We use the door 4-5 times a day, guy said at that rate about 8 years would be expected.
 
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I've tensioned these springs before. It all comes down to how comfortable you feel doing this.

I wouldn't recommend doing this if you're tired, rushed, in a bad mood, or don't have the proper tools.
That would leave me out I'm always tired, rushed or in bad mood, sometimes all three. I likely wouldn't have the proper tools either.

I remember probably at least 30-35 years ago a non preloaded spring broke on my mom and dads manually operated garage door. Mom is still living and in the same house. Any time I'm opening or closing her garage door I make sure no one including myself is standing where a spring would hit them if one broke again.

My garage door has been installed for about 11 years and is the preload type. Maybe I should take a look at it to make sure there's no rust, etc. that might increase the chances of it breaking.
 
That would leave me out I'm always tired, rushed or in bad mood, sometimes all three. I likely wouldn't have the proper tools either.

I remember probably at least 30-35 years ago a non preloaded spring broke on my mom and dads manually operated garage door. Mom is still living and in the same house. Any time I'm opening or closing her garage door I make sure no one including myself is standing where a spring would hit them if one broke again.

My garage door has been installed for about 11 years and is the preload type. Maybe I should take a look at it to make sure there's no rust, etc. that might increase the chances of it breaking.
check and see if the "extension" type springs have safety cables in them.. much better than without.

I would do this job. at least on my own garage I am familiar with. I am a firm believer in doing anything I can because then at least it will be done right or I'll know I screwd it up ...not be randomly alerted to the fact later after service guy does shoddy job and leaves.

If its installing a dishwasher, an icemaker, or a garage door it applies.. but I also know my limitations and am not afraid to pass.
 
Went to open the garage door this morning and head to pull a part. Garage door would not open. Released the automatic opener, door would not manually open.

This is what I found. Looks like the left spring broke. For a change, I think this is best done by a garage door technician instead of myself.

View attachment 89458View attachment 89459
Been in current house for 22 years. Have had (2) replaced after they popped / snapped in half. Last one was about 12 - 14 months ago. They will scare the hell out of you if you are near when they let go!
 
Yep, those things will get your attention when they snap. Ours did a while back and I told my Wife that I wasn’t messing with it, so we called some people that we know that do this kind of work.
His teenage Daughter did the repair and she did a bang up job. She had the tools and the know how to do it, I didn’t and that’s fine by me. I’ve got enough to do and it’s always nice to help support someone else’s business Occasionally.
 
Dad broke his head once trying to change it himself, went to the ER for a few stitches and luckily no permanent injury.

It would be some money well spent if you are not experienced.
 
Have a professional do it!!!!
It is dangerous
, you must have the tools and Know-How as the spring must be loaded
to specs according to door weight so that it is balanced, also you have to now the gauge & diameter
of the coils.
From what I have seen people do it, they have the spring loaded to support the door at about 1/2 way between open and close, and the spring barely lifting it up at about 1/2 way point. Probably this put the least amount to stress on the spring and make it last longer.

Buy the longer lasting spring that last more cycles despite costing more, you will make it back in labor cost.
 
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