Broken garage door spring — Hilversum, Noord-Holland

A broken garage door spring makes the door extremely heavy — often impossible to lift by hand — and puts dangerous stress on the opener motor. Torsion springs snap loudly (you may have heard a gunshot-like bang from the garage), while extension springs visibly separate. Because these springs are under hundreds of pounds of tension, replacement is one of the few garage repairs that should never be a DIY project. A handyman or garage door technician can safely replace the spring, re-balance the door, and test the safety reversal mechanism.