Broken Garage Door Spring Repair in Chandler and the East Valley

If you heard a loud bang in the garage and now the door will not lift, a spring has most likely broken. Stop using the opener and keep everyone clear of the door. GT Garage Door Repair replaces broken torsion and extension springs the same day as standard, with a free estimate before any work starts. We are a veteran-owned, family-operated company based in Chandler. Call (602) 680-9700.

Last updated October 2026.

Licensed, bonded and insured · ROC 358301 · Same-day service

Call (602) 680-9700 Get a Free Estimate

Snapped torsion spring with a visible gap in the coil above a garage door

How to Tell a Garage Door Spring Has Broken

Most homeowners find out from the noise. A torsion spring that snaps under tension makes a sharp bang that sounds like something fell or a gunshot went off inside the garage. The door usually looks fine afterward, which is why people try the opener and are surprised when nothing happens.

Look for these signs: - A visible gap of an inch or more in the spring coil on the bar above the door. - The opener runs, the door rises a few inches, then stops or reverses. - The door feels far heavier than usual if you try to lift it. - The door rises crooked, or one cable hangs loose beside the track. - On older doors with extension springs, a stretched or snapped spring along one of the horizontal tracks overhead.

Our guide to signs of a broken garage door spring has photos of what each of these looks like.

Broken garage door torsion spring on the bar above the door

Extension springs running along the horizontal track of a garage door

What to Do Right Now, and What Not to Do

The safest move is to stop and leave the door where it is. Springs carry almost all of the door's weight, so with one broken, the opener and the cables are trying to lift a load they were never meant to carry alone.

Do this: - Stop pressing the remote, wall button and keypad. - Keep children, pets and cars away from the door opening. - If the door is fully closed, leave it closed. If you must get a car out, call us first. - If the door is stuck partway open, do not pull the red emergency release. Without spring tension, the door can drop the moment the opener lets go. - Call (602) 680-9700 and tell us what you heard and what the door is doing.

Do not do this: - Do not try to lift a door with a broken spring by hand. It can weigh more than you expect and drop without warning. - Do not loosen, unwind, adjust or remove the spring, the cables or the bottom brackets. The DASMA residential garage door checklist (TDS-167) (opens in a new tab) is explicit that these parts are under extreme tension and should only be repaired by a trained technician.

If you want the reasoning behind each step, read what to do when a garage door spring snaps and our note on emergency release safety. If the door is stuck open and the house is not secure, we treat it as an emergency garage door repair.

Garage door stuck partly open with daylight showing underneath

Veteran-Owned, Family-Run, and Based in Chandler

GT Garage Door Repair is a veteran-owned, family-operated garage door company based in Chandler.

Veteran-owned and family-operated in Chandler, AZ
Licensed, bonded and insured: Arizona ROC 358301 (verify our license (opens in a new tab))
Free, upfront estimate before any work begins
Same-day service is our standard, not an upcharge

GT Garage Door Repair on Google Maps (opens in a new tab)

What GT Does on a Same-Day Spring Call

Same-day service is our standard, not an upcharge. Our trucks carry the spring sizes we see most on East Valley homes, so most broken springs are replaced in the same visit.

Here is what happens when we arrive: 1. We secure the door and disconnect the opener so nothing moves while we work. 2. We check what else the break affected: both lift cables, the drums, the bottom brackets and the track. 3. We identify the right replacement spring for your door's weight and height. We do not just match the broken one, because the broken spring may have been the wrong size to begin with. The details of sizing are on our torsion spring repair page. 4. You get a price before we start. If you want a longer-life spring, we explain the DuraMaster high-cycle option at the same time so you can choose. 5. We install and wind the new springs, then test the door by hand. A balanced door stays put when lifted halfway and released. 6. We reconnect the opener and test its force settings and auto-reverse, so the opener is not straining against a door that is still out of balance.

Torsion spring mounted on the bar above a garage door against a textured ceiling

Why We Usually Replace Both Springs

Many two-car doors use two torsion springs, and when one breaks the other is usually close behind. Both springs were installed on the same day and have lifted the same door the same number of times. Replacing only the broken one often means a second service call within months.

That is why we recommend replacing both at once on two-spring doors. It is a recommendation, not a requirement, and we will price it both ways so you can decide. A matched pair also keeps the door lifting evenly, since a new spring and a tired spring do not pull with the same force.

The DASMA spring cycle life data sheet (TDS-190) (opens in a new tab) explains why springs wear out: life depends on correct sizing to the door, the right number of turns, how often the door is used, and rust, which thins the effective wire. If your springs keep breaking early, one of those is usually the reason. Read more on the causes of torsion spring failure.

What Else a Broken Spring Can Damage

A broken spring rarely stays a spring-only repair if the door keeps running. When the opener tries to lift a door with no spring help, three things tend to happen.

Cables come off or fray. The lift cables lose tension and can jump off their drums. If yours are loose or damaged, we handle it as part of the visit; see garage door cable repair.
The opener strains. Openers are designed to guide a balanced door, not lift its full weight. Repeated attempts can strip gears or burn out the motor, which turns into an opener repair.
The door twists. An unevenly lifted door can bind in the track or come out of it entirely.

Stopping early keeps the repair to springs, and sometimes cables. That is why the first call matters more than the first fix.

Questions

Broken Spring Questions We Hear Most

My car is stuck in the garage. Can I just lift the door by hand?

Please do not. With a broken spring, you would be lifting the full weight of the door with nothing to hold it up if your grip slips. Call us instead. Spring calls are same-day as standard, and if you need the car out sooner, tell us when you call so we can plan the visit around it. Leave the emergency release alone until we arrive.

Is it safe to keep using the opener with a broken spring?

No. The opener is not built to lift the door's full weight on its own. Running it can snap a cable, strip the opener gear, or pull the door crooked in its track. Unplug the opener or simply stop using the remote and wall button, keep everyone clear of the door, and call (602) 680-9700.

How long does a broken spring repair take?

Most spring replacements are finished in a single visit because our trucks carry the spring sizes we see most in the East Valley. The time depends on whether the cables, drums or bottom brackets were damaged when the spring broke. We check all of that first and tell you what we found before any work starts.

Why do you recommend replacing both springs when only one broke?

On a two-spring door, both springs were installed together and have done the same work for the same number of cycles. When one breaks, the other is usually near the end of its life too. Replacing both at once avoids a second call and keeps the door lifting evenly. We will price it both ways so the choice is yours.

How much does broken garage door spring repair cost?

It depends on the spring type, the size and weight of the door, whether you replace one spring or both, and whether cables or other parts were damaged. Upgrading to high-cycle springs also changes the price. We give you a free estimate on site before any work begins, so you know the exact number first. Our repair cost guide explains the factors.

Broken Garage Door Spring Repair Across the East Valley

We carry common spring sizes on the truck and replace broken springs the same day as standard for homes across these cities.

Not on the list? Call (602) 680-9700 and we will tell you right away whether we can get to you today.

Schedule service

Spring Broke? Call Before You Touch the Door

We will tell you what to do while you wait, then replace the spring the same day as standard, with a price before we start.