Garage Door Stuck Half Open?

If Your Door is Stuck Halfway, It's Almost Definitely the Spring

Here's what happened: You pressed the button to open your garage door. It started moving normally, then—about halfway up—it just stopped. Now it's frozen there, halfway open. The opener is making noise (clicking, grinding, or humming) but the door won't budge up or down.

This is a broken spring. In 95% of "stuck halfway" cases, a torsion spring has snapped.

You might have heard a loud BANG like a gunshot earlier (when the spring actually broke), or you might have missed it if you weren't home. Either way, the result is the same: your 150-200 pound garage door now has zero counterbalance force, the opener can't lift it, and you're stuck.

Why Garage Doors Get Stuck Halfway (The Physics)

Your garage door weighs 150-400 pounds depending on size and material (single steel door: ~150 lbs, double insulated door: ~200-250 lbs, wooden double door: 300-400+ lbs). Your garage door opener motor is rated for about 1/2 to 1 horsepower—strong enough to lift 50-75 pounds max.

"Wait, how does a 1/2 HP motor lift a 200 lb door?"

It doesn't. The springs do. Torsion springs (the big springs mounted on the metal rod above your door) are wound with hundreds of pounds of tension. They provide 90% of the lifting force. When properly balanced, those springs counterbalance the door's weight so perfectly that you could lift the door with one hand. The opener just provides the final 10-15% of force to move it along the tracks.

When a spring breaks:

• The door loses 90% of its counterbalance force
• The door instantly becomes 150-200+ pounds of dead weight
• The opener motor can't lift it (it's only rated for 50-75 lbs of resistance)
• The opener's built-in safety mechanism detects excessive resistance
• The opener shuts down to prevent motor burnout
• The door stops wherever it is—usually about halfway

How to Confirm It's a Broken Spring (Visual Check)

You don't need to be a garage door expert to diagnose this. Look at the springs above your door:

Torsion Spring System (Most Common)

What it looks like: One or two large springs (6-10 inches diameter, 18-30 inches long) mounted horizontally on a metal rod directly above the door opening.

Signs of breakage:

• Visible gap: The spring has a 1-3 inch gap where it snapped in half
• Separated coils: The coils at the break point are spread apart
• Loose cables: Cables may be hanging loose or wound up on the spring shaft
• One spring tight, one loose: If you have two springs, one looks wound tight, the other looks relaxed

Extension Spring System (Less Common)

What it looks like: Two long, skinny springs running parallel to the tracks on either side of the door (not above it).

Signs of breakage:

• Hanging spring: One side has a spring dangling loose from its mounting bracket
• Uneven door: The door is crooked (lower on one side)
• Safety cable exposed: The cable running through the spring is visible and loose

What NOT to Do When Your Door is Stuck Halfway

❌ DON'T Keep Pressing the Button

You've already tried this 5-10 times. It's not working. Continuing to run the opener accomplishes nothing except:

spring + opener repair) + for opener replacement)
• Further damaging cables or tracks

Try the button once or twice to confirm the problem. Then stop.

❌ DON'T Pull the Emergency Release While Door is Up

That red handle hanging from the opener rail disconnects the door from the opener. With a working spring, this is safe—you can manually operate the door. With a broken spring, pulling that release while the door is up is extremely dangerous.

Here's why: The door has no counterbalance. It's 150-200+ pounds. The emergency release disengages the only thing holding it up (the opener mechanism). If you pull that handle, the door will crash down with tremendous force:

• Crushing anything underneath (car roof, person, pet, equipment)
• Causing serious injury if you're in the path
• Damaging the door itself (bent panels, broken rollers)
• Potentially pulling the opener off the ceiling

DO NOT pull the emergency release unless instructed by a professional.

❌ DON'T Try to Manually Lift or Lower It

A door with a broken spring weighs its full 150-400 lbs. Most people cannot safely lift or control that much weight. Attempting to do so risks:

• Back injury or muscle strain
• Losing control and the door crashing down
• Fingers caught in tracks or pinch points
• Further damage to the door or opener

❌ DON'T Ignore It for Days

"I'll just park outside and deal with it next week." Bad idea:

• Security risk: A door stuck halfway is partially open—easy access for theft
• Weather exposure: Rain, snow, wind enter the garage
• Worsening damage: The longer it sits, the more stress on remaining components (cables, tracks, opener)
• Vehicle inconvenience: No garage access for days while weather beats up your car outside

What TO Do: Call for Same-Day Spring Replacement

Spring replacement is the most common garage door repair we perform. We do 10-15 per week. It's routine for us, and we can fix it same-day:

Step 1: Call (201) 862-7111 Now

Our dispatcher will ask:

• Where is the door stuck? (halfway up, 3 feet up, etc.)
• Can you see a broken spring? (gap in the spring coils)
• Is your car trapped inside?
• Do you need same-day service or emergency service (if after-hours)?

Step 2: We Dispatch a Technician (60-90 Minutes)

You'll receive:

• Text confirmation with technician name and photo
• ETA (typically 60-90 minutes, faster in urban areas)
• Vehicle description
• Direct phone line to technician

Step 3: Safe Assessment & Quote (10 Minutes On-Site)

The technician will:

• Visually confirm broken spring(s)
• Measure the spring(s) to determine correct replacement size
• Assess whether any other components need attention (cables, rollers, etc.)
for matched spring pair

You approve before work begins. No surprises.

Step 4: Spring Replacement (45-75 Minutes)

Here's what happens:

• Secure the door: Clamp or brace it safely so it can't move
• Release tension: Carefully unwind any remaining tension from the broken spring
• Remove old springs: Both springs removed (we always replace as a matched pair)
• Install new springs: Matched pair of new springs installed on the torsion rod
• Wind tension: Springs wound to precise tension based on door weight
• Cable adjustment: Inspect and adjust lift cables for proper tension
• Balance test: Door manually lifted to halfway—should stay there (perfect balance)
• Reconnect opener: Opener reattached and limit settings verified
• Full cycle testing: Door opened and closed 10+ times to verify smooth operation

Step 5: You're Back in Business (Total Time: 2-3 Hours from Call)

From the moment you call to having a fully functional door: about 2-3 hours. That includes:

• 60-90 min response time
• 10 min assessment
• 45-75 min repair

Same-day service. No waiting 3-5 days like with other companies.

Spring Replacement Estimates (Transparent & Upfront)

Why We Replace Both Springs (Even If Only One Broke)

"Can't you just replace the broken one to save me money?" We hear this often. Here's why that's a bad idea:

Reason 1: Springs Age Together

If your door has been in use for 8 years and one spring just broke, the other spring is also 8 years old with 8 years of wear. It's not "if" it will break—it's "when." Usually within 2-4 weeks.

You'll then pay for:

• Second service call fee
• Second spring replacement
• Second day of inconvenience and lost time

. More expensive than replacing both .

Reason 2: Balance & Safety

A new spring and a worn spring have different tension characteristics. This creates:

• Unbalanced door (one side lifts faster)
• Uneven wear on cables and tracks
• Premature opener failure (motor works harder to compensate)
• Safety risk (door may bind or come off track)

Reason 3: Warranty Protection

When we replace both springs as a matched pair, we warranty them together. If we replace only one, we can't warranty the mismatched setup—too many variables for failure.

How to Get Your Car Out If It's Trapped Inside

If your car is trapped and you need it urgently (work, medical appointment, travel), we have options:

Option 1: Emergency Same-Day Service (Best Option)

Call (201) 862-7111) and mention your car is trapped and you need it ASAP. We prioritize these calls:

• Urban areas (Newark, Jersey City, Paterson): Often 45-60 minutes
• Suburban areas: 60-90 minutes
• After-hours emergency: 60-90 minutes (small after-hours fee)

We'll fix the spring, and you'll be driving out within 2-3 hours.

Option 2: Manual Operation with Professional Guidance (If Necessary)

Only as a last resort and only with our phone guidance. If you absolutely need your car in the next 30 minutes (medical emergency, critical work event), we can walk you through safe manual operation:

• We'll assess door weight and position over the phone
• Guide you through safe emergency release procedure
• Instruct on controlled door raising with help (2 people required)
• Explain how to manually secure it open while you get your car out
• Then schedule repair ASAP before you return home

Warning: This is risky and only for true emergencies. Do not attempt without professional phone guidance.

Can I DIY Spring Replacement to Save Money?

NO. Absolutely not. Never.

We don't say this to protect our business. We say this because garage door spring replacement causes dozens of deaths and hundreds of serious injuries every year.

The Danger

Torsion springs store 200-400+ pounds of force. When you wind them during installation, you're using metal winding bars to turn the spring against that massive force. If:

• The winding bar slips
• You lose your grip
• The spring binds and suddenly releases
• You use incorrect tools

...the spring unwinds violently. That metal winding bar becomes a 2-foot missile traveling at 50+ mph. It can:

• Break your jaw, teeth, or nose
• Fracture your skull
• Break fingers or hands
• Cause severe lacerations
• Result in permanent injury or death

The Hidden Complexity

"But I watched a YouTube video!" Those videos don't show you:

• How to properly measure springs (wrong size = dangerous imbalance)
• How to calculate correct winding tension (too tight = premature failure, too loose = door crashes)
• How to safely handle springs under tension
• What to do when something goes wrong mid-installation
• How to identify when cables or other components need replacement

The False Economy

(if you order the right size—many people don't) (if you buy the right diameter—many people don't)
• Your time: 3-5 hours (first time, with many "oh crap" moments)
+ (if something goes wrong)

. We have the tools, knowledge, insurance, and warranty. We do it in 45-75 minutes. It's done right the first time. It's safe.

Save money somewhere else. Not here.

Frequently Asked Questions