garage door problem

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Topic Author
mouses
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garage door problem

Post by mouses »

I have a two car wide garage door, and when I went to open it this afternoon, it stopped about a foot off the floor and made a horrid noise. I put it in manual, but then I can't budge it an inch.

I called the good garage door company and they will be out some time tomorrow, but I would really like to use the car today, plus I have an appointment tomorrow that I have been queued up for for months with a doctor.

The garage phone lady said it sounded like it was a broken spring. I peered at it and I don't see anything that looks like a spring...

Is there anyway I can get this door open, and if I get it open and get the car out, get it closed so my tools don't develop legs? Thank you,
arsenalfan
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Re: garage door problem

Post by arsenalfan »

Google is your friend. If your tension spring is broken, be careful - if I remember correctly, it will be difficult to get the door up & it will be difficult to control how fast the door slams down.

READ STEPS 3 & 4 CAREFULLY
http://homeguides.sfgate.com/open-garag ... 37286.html

https://www.google.com/search?q=broken+ ... 8&bih=1320
Last edited by arsenalfan on Thu May 18, 2017 3:01 pm, edited 2 times in total.
Topic Author
mouses
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Re: garage door problem

Post by mouses »

Google is not my friend.

As I noted, I had tried in manual it does not budge. I know how to open it in manual mode as that is necessary during power failures.

I looked at the pretty pictures in your second link. I am still not seeing a setup that looks like mine.
arsenalfan
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Re: garage door problem

Post by arsenalfan »

Hmmm sorry then...weird. Let us know what they diagnose!
JohnFiscal
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Re: garage door problem

Post by JohnFiscal »

that happened to me once. Door system was about 15 years old. Heard a sharp noise one night, couldn't find an explanation. Next morning, door would not open (also an extra wide and heavy 2 car door with hurricane bracing). I disconnected the drive but I could not budge the door manually.

It was a broken torsion spring, as shown in some of those photographs. But it was not apparent to me standing below.

I'd take a cab to the doctor tomorrow, unless you get your door fixed by then. Oddly enough, I also had an appointment the day I found mine broken.
livesoft
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Re: garage door problem

Post by livesoft »

Ask your neighbor(s) for help. They can be indispensable in figuring out this stuff because they are right there with you.

My neighbor would also let me drive one of his cars if I needed to. And of course, I would drive my neighbor anywhere if asked.

Or call a friend.
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Topic Author
mouses
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Re: garage door problem

Post by mouses »

JohnFiscal wrote: I'd take a cab to the doctor tomorrow, unless you get your door fixed by then. Oddly enough, I also had an appointment the day I found mine broken.
Would that we had cab service. We don't even have bus service. And too far to bicycle.
TSR
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Re: garage door problem

Post by TSR »

I had a broken spring recently, and that does indeed sound like what it is. The torsion spring is usually directly above the door, either on the side, both sides, or in the middle. There are a lot of youtube videos about removing such a thing, but it really is a powerful spring and not something I'd mess with. Sorry about your predicament, and best of luck!
sk2101
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Re: garage door problem

Post by sk2101 »

By what I know how garage doors work, if the springs had broken the door would have slammed back shut. Therefore my bet is that the door is either off track or there is something that is impeding the rollers to move freely within the tracks. Go check for obstructions, but be careful because the door is likely under tension and if you remove it the door will move with a lot of momentum.

Edit to add: from your initial post it is not clear whether the door came back down - if it came back down it's the spring and you may be able to open it if you have a helper or two to assist you lifting the door - it will just be very heavy and then you need to be very careful when lowering the door so it does not drop to the floor or you will damage it. Without the spring to assist you will be making all the effort to lift the door.
Last edited by sk2101 on Mon Mar 07, 2022 3:33 pm, edited 2 times in total.
Bmac
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Re: garage door problem

Post by Bmac »

Similar thing happened to us recently. Almost certainly the torsion spring. You can not fix this. Requires a trained professional. Not a safe thing to try to fix on you own.
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bottlecap
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Re: garage door problem

Post by bottlecap »

It's the spring. There is a way to get it open, but I can't remember how when this happened to me. Try Google!

JT
RudyS
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Re: garage door problem

Post by RudyS »

mouses wrote:
JohnFiscal wrote: I'd take a cab to the doctor tomorrow, unless you get your door fixed by then. Oddly enough, I also had an appointment the day I found mine broken.
Would that we had cab service. We don't even have bus service. And too far to bicycle.
Don't know where you are. Does the doctor's city have cab service you could call? Or call the Dr's office if they know anyone who could provide a ride (for payment).
Topic Author
mouses
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Re: garage door problem

Post by mouses »

mmarreco wrote:
Edit to add: from your initial post it is not clear whether the door came back down - if it came back down it's the spring and you may be able to open it if you have a helper or two to assist you lifting the door - it will just be very heavy and then you need to be very careful when lowering the door so it does not drop to the floor or you will damage it. Without the spring to assist you will be making all the effort to lift the door.
Yes, it came back down. Hopefully the garage door guy will get here promptly tomorrow.

Philosophy: I once went backpacking in North Africa for a few weeks. It is amazing how little one needs, something to sleep on, food, water, a few clothes, a comb, some soap, and a little money. It took me weeks to readjust to modern life. Something is always breaking or needing maintenance.
MathWizard
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Re: garage door problem

Post by MathWizard »

If you don't have a friend/family member who can take you, try Enterprise rent-a-car.
I believe that they will bring the car to you.
Topic Author
mouses
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Re: garage door problem

Post by mouses »

MathWizard wrote:If you don't have a friend/family member who can take you, try Enterprise rent-a-car.
I believe that they will bring the car to you.
You're a genius. :-)
arsenalfan
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Re: garage door problem

Post by arsenalfan »

mouses wrote:
mmarreco wrote:
Edit to add: from your initial post it is not clear whether the door came back down - if it came back down it's the spring and you may be able to open it if you have a helper or two to assist you lifting the door - it will just be very heavy and then you need to be very careful when lowering the door so it does not drop to the floor or you will damage it. Without the spring to assist you will be making all the effort to lift the door.
Yes, it came back down. Hopefully the garage door guy will get here promptly tomorrow.

Philosophy: I once went backpacking in North Africa for a few weeks. It is amazing how little one needs, something to sleep on, food, water, a few clothes, a comb, some soap, and a little money. It took me weeks to readjust to modern life. Something is always breaking or needing maintenance.
I agree and would love to simplify. The random breaking of stuff is quite vexing. Garages for me are an example a hedonistic treadmill - acclimate quickly to all the benefits, making the downsides more stark. Had a spring break last year and it was very annoying in that it was unexpected. First world problems as they say.
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jesscj
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Re: garage door problem

Post by jesscj »

Bmac wrote:Similar thing happened to us recently. Almost certainly the torsion spring. You can not fix this. Requires a trained professional. Not a safe thing to try to fix on you own.
If you have the knowledge and DIY mindset you can repair anything, I replaced both of my springs in about 45 minutes after getting the replacement springs at a local hardware store. Its not hard, and not as dangerous as made out to be. If you are a mechanically inclined person its not a hard job.
"Gonna Make It"
RudyS
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Re: garage door problem

Post by RudyS »

The hard part is doing it SAFELY. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hrUIN6hClB4 Admittedly, this was posted by an o[opener company.
Topic Author
mouses
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Re: garage door problem

Post by mouses »

So the garage door guy was here this am. It was a broken spring. It runs parallel to the garage door and close to it, so I had not noticed it as a spring, thinking more in terms of the double springs that run up the sides of garage doors.

He put a clamp on it so it will work until they get a part for it. I was not watching closely, but unless he needed a lot of strength, it seemed simple to do. I do not plan to mess with this stuff in the future myself, however. (Nor do I plan to keep the car in the garage until the spring is relplaced.)

I asked about decapitation, but he said it's the springs that run up the sides that that's a problem with.
Last edited by mouses on Fri May 19, 2017 11:35 am, edited 1 time in total.
livesoft
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Re: garage door problem

Post by livesoft »

I have replaced my own springs of the type you have. It is no more dangerous to me than mowing the lawn: Don't stick your foot under the running lawn mower. I know of someone's son who lost some toes.

The linked youtube video shows how to not do. Other videos show how to use two (count 'em 2!) rods to help tension the springs. I had 12" extensions for a 3/8" drive ratchet for the rods. I bought the spring(s) mail-order. I would fix my own springs every time, but it is pretty clear that you should not repair the spring(s) yourself.

From your post, I suspect that he simply opened the door and left it open for you. Or he opened the door and let you move your car out and closed it again. Until he could get the part.
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Miriam2
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Re: garage door problem

Post by Miriam2 »

mouses wrote:I asked about decapitation, but he said it's the springs that run up the sides that that's a problem with.
Well THAT's certainly a relief :D but not sure I would take that risk and advice from a repairman :shock:

Isn't this called something like "the joys of home ownership" or some such frothy cliche :wink:
ved
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Re: garage door problem

Post by ved »

sorry to hijack this thread, but was wondering about this happening in a rental.

Would the landlord then be required to provide transportation (or at least pay for it), until the tenant is able to have access to his/ her car?
What would be a daily $ limit be? Will it be paid for by the homeowner's insurance?

Any real world experience from landlords or tenants?

Thanks
Big Dog
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Re: garage door problem

Post by Big Dog »

By what I know how garage doors work (I have installed and maintained them myself in my house), if the springs had broken the door would have slammed back shut.
Not necessarily. We had a broken torsion spring (above) and the door went down as far as it could until the unbalance jammed it in its track. It did not slam at all; just stopped from being stuck.
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bottlecap
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Re: garage door problem

Post by bottlecap »

ved wrote:sorry to hijack this thread, but was wondering about this happening in a rental.

Would the landlord then be required to provide transportation (or at least pay for it), until the tenant is able to have access to his/ her car?
What would be a daily $ limit be? Will it be paid for by the homeowner's insurance?

Any real world experience from landlords or tenants?

Thanks
LL would pay to have fixed. That's it.
Topic Author
mouses
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Re: garage door problem

Post by mouses »

livesoft wrote: From your post, I suspect that he simply opened the door and left it open for you. Or he opened the door and let you move your car out and closed it again. Until he could get the part.
No, the door seems to be working. After he put the clamp on the spring (it is bridging the broken area), we opened and closed the door several times using the opener. Then while he was still there, I moved my car out and closed the door. However, the car is staying outside until they come back with the part.
BIGal
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Re: garage door problem

Post by BIGal »

You did the correct thing by contacting a professional. Garage doors are extremely heavy and springs can present extreme hazards if inexperienced homeowners attempt to make repairs. Like everything else "nothing lasts forever", garage doors included.
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