How to Open Garage Door with Broken Spring: 5 Steps

If your cars are stuck inside of your garage and your garage door spring snapped, it can be quite a problem.

You can still open your garage door with a broken spring but only proceed with extreme caution.

It’s VERY important that you follow all the steps precisely and take all the safety precautions because a garage door without a spring can be dangerous. You may damage your garage door in the process if the steps aren’t followed.

If you’re ready to open your garage door SAFELY, let’s get to it.

7 Steps to Open Your Garage Door With Broken Spring

I understand that you may need to access your garage ASAP, but do ensure that you’re taking the right safety precautions. Garage springs can be dangerous if not taken seriously. If you can call a professional, do so. If you need to access your garage for whatever reason, follow the steps below.

Step 1

If possible, get another person to help. Depending on the type of garage door, it may be too heavy to lift on your own. If it’s wood, then it’s going to be up to 500lbs so make sure you aren’t doing it on your own.

Step 2

Be mindful of your fingers and feet while doing the next few steps.

Step 3

Turn your garage door on manual mode. You can do this simply by disengaging the red cord and pulling it away from the motor.

Step 4

Now all you need to do is pull it up with the other person. Be aware of your fingers so they don’t get stuck on panels on the way up. Gripping the garage door can be a bit tricky, so communicate with the person helping you if you can’t hold on or need to let go.

Step 5

The garage door should now be opened. Prop the garage door with a ladder or a piece of wood. It’s vital that you DO NOT leave it this way, so get your car out of the garage and then follow these steps in reverse to close the garage again.

Final Thoughts

If you can wait, it’s best to call a garage door technician to help remedy the problem. Click the button below to get a free quote from a local repairman.

About Roy Cohen

I'm Roy, founder of Hack My Garage. I started out like most not knowing how to hammer a nail, but now I know more than most people about home improvement and DIY. I want to spread my wealth of knowledge with the world and hope to make it a better place.

You can find Roy at his LinkedIn or his email: roy@hackmygarage.com