Overhead garage door repair
Overhead garage door will not stay up?
A door that cannot hold itself halfway open is out of balance. Springs or cables are the usual cause, and they should not be adjusted by hand.
Is this what you're seeing?
You lift the door by hand and it drifts down.
It stays up at the top but not at the middle.
The door shoots up when you release it.
It stays on one side, higher than the other.
The opener struggles in the middle of travel.
What's going on
Pull the red cord with the door fully closed, lift it halfway and let go. A balanced overhead door stays where you left it. That is the standard test, and it is what the springs are for. A door that settles down, creeps up, or races to the top is not balanced.
If it falls, the springs have lost strength or one has broken. If it flies up, the spring tension is too high, which can happen after a bad repair or a spring swap that used the wrong size. If one side stays higher than the other, look at the cables and the drums. A cable that has stretched, slipped or frayed leaves one side carrying more weight.
Do not try to fix balance with the opener. An opener can hide the problem for a while, but it will wear faster, and a door that does not stay up leaves the opener doing the lifting. The torsion shaft and cable drum are the places a technician looks first.
What to do right now
Do
Do the halfway test only once, with a closed door, and keep your feet clear of the bottom edge.
Note which way it moves: down, up, or one side first.
Unplug the opener and stop using the door until it is checked.
Look at the cables for fraying or slack, but do not touch them.
Don't
Do not turn the set screws on the spring or winding cone to try to rebalance it.
Do not add weight or bungee cords to hold the door.
Do not leave the door propped partway.
Do not rely on the opener to compensate.
How we fix it
We test balance with the opener disconnected, then inspect springs, cables, drums and bearings. If tension is wrong, we adjust or replace the springs and set the door so it holds at the midpoint. The work is part of overhead garage door repair, and we re-test with the opener reconnected.
Repair or replace?
Usually repair. Springs and cables are replaceable, and an old door can be put right again. If the door is also sagging, bowed or has damaged sections, panel replacement may be part of the answer.
A door that is badly worn or very old might be worth replacing instead of repairing again. We will show you the condition and let you decide.
Related questions
Do the springs or the opener lift my garage door?
The springs lift your garage door, not the opener. They counterbalance the weight and the opener just guides it. Here is why that matters.
Read full answerWhat are the signs my garage door needs repair?
The signs a garage door needs repair: new noises, a sagging door, slow or jerky movement, and a door that will not stay put halfway up.
Read full answerShould I repair or replace my garage door?
Should you repair or replace your garage door? It comes down to age, damage, safety, and cost. Here is the line between a smart fix and a new door.
Read full answerHow do I know if my garage door spring is broken?
Is your garage door spring broken? Look for a loud bang, a 2 to 4 inch gap in the spring, or a door that won't lift. Here are the signs to check.
Read full answerRelated services
Parts mentioned
Get your overhead door holding steady
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