When a garage door won't open, the usual culprits are a broken spring, a disengaged opener, dead remote batteries, or the lock being engaged. Here's how to tell which one it is — and what's safe to do yourself.
Start simple. If you reach the spring step, that's a stop-and-call moment.
Try the wall button. If it works but the remote doesn't, replace the remote battery or reprogram it. If nothing works, check that the opener is plugged in and the outlet/GFCI hasn't tripped.
If the motor hums or runs but the door doesn't move, the opener may be disconnected, or a spring is broken so the door is too heavy to lift. That's your big clue.
If someone pulled the red cord, the opener is disconnected from the door. Pull the cord toward the door (or run the opener) to re-latch the trolley on the next cycle.
A manual slide lock on the door, or the wall console's lock button, will stop it. Make sure neither is engaged.
If the door is very heavy to lift by hand, won't budge, or you saw/heard a loud bang earlier, a torsion spring is almost certainly broken. Don't force the opener — it can't lift a broken-spring door and you'll burn it out.
Broken springs and cables are dangerous and the most common reason a door won't open. We carry them on every truck, 24/7 — call (940) 644-4376.
A garage door torsion spring has a measurable life rating. The industry minimum is 10,000 cycles — one cycle is a single open plus close — and high-cycle springs are sold at roughly 27,000 and 54,000 cycles for doors that get heavy daily use.
| Spring rating (cycles) | Wire / stress | ~Years at 3/day | ~Years at 4/day |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10,000 (industry minimum) | Standard wire | ~9 | ~7 |
| 27,000 (high-cycle) | Thicker, longer wire | ~25 | ~18 |
| 54,000 (high-cycle) | Heaviest wire | ~49 | ~37 |
“Regular greasing or lubrication of springs, as required in the manufacturer’s instructions, will help to maximize spring cycle life.”
DASMA specifically names extreme climate as a factor that shortens spring life. In DFW, springs live through 100°F-plus summers and the occasional hard freeze, and that repeated expansion and contraction is exactly the kind of metal fatigue the standard describes. A little spray lubricant twice a year is the cheapest defense.
Sources: DDM Garage Doors · DDM Garage Doors · DASMA TDS-190
Either the opener is disconnected from the door (someone pulled the red emergency cord) or a spring is broken so the door is too heavy to lift. Re-latch the trolley; if the door is heavy, it's the spring — call a pro.
Common causes: a broken spring, a snapped cable, the lock engaged, or a dead opener. If it's heavy to lift by hand, suspect the spring and don't force it.
Carefully, by hand, it may be possible but it's heavy and dangerous — the door can drop. Don't use the opener (it can't lift it and will strain). Best to leave it and call for a fast spring repair.
Cold can stiffen grease and shrink parts so the door binds, and it's often when a tired spring finally snaps. Check the balance and lubrication; if it's suddenly very heavy, it's likely the spring.
A heavy or stuck door usually means a broken spring or cable. Don't force it — we answer every call, day or night.