Garage Door Falls or Closes Too Fast: A Real Safety Issue
A door that drops suddenly or closes faster than normal isn’t something to wait out. Here’s what’s usually going on.
Why This Happens
A properly balanced garage door should lower slowly and evenly under the opener’s control. If it drops suddenly, closes noticeably faster than it used to, or falls freely when disconnected from the opener, the springs are no longer supporting the door’s weight correctly. This usually means a spring has weakened, partially failed, or already broken on one side while the other is still holding, which is often more dangerous than a fully broken spring since the door can still move but unpredictably.
What to Do Right Now
- Stop using the door immediately, including the opener
- Keep people, pets, and vehicles clear of the doorway
- Do not attempt to inspect or adjust the springs yourself, they may still be under partial tension
See our spring repair page for what the fix involves, or our disclaimer for why this specifically isn’t a DIY situation.
Other Possible Causes
Less commonly, a frayed or partially snapped cable can cause uneven, jerky closing on one side. Either way, this is exactly the kind of issue our emergency service is built for.