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Garage Door Spring and Cable Repair in Massachusetts and New Hampshire
A loud bang from the garage, a door that suddenly feels far too heavy, an opener that strains and gives up, or a cable hanging loose beside the track. Springs and lift cables are what make a heavy door manageable, and when they fail the door needs a professional, not a do-it-yourself fix. Call (978) 330-1721 or send the form. A person reads every request and replies with what happens next.
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- No do-it-yourself steps
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Torsion springs, extension springs and lift cables
When a spring or cable fails
What they do. A garage door is heavy, and the springs counterbalance that weight so the door can be lifted by hand or by the opener. Many doors use torsion springs on a bar above the opening; others use extension springs running alongside the horizontal tracks. Lift cables connect the springs to the bottom corners of the door.
Signs of trouble. A sharp bang with no obvious cause, a visible gap in a coiled spring, a door that rises crooked or only a few inches, a frayed or slack cable, or an opener that runs but can't lift the door. If you see any of these, stop using the door and keep children, pets and cars clear of it.
Leave it to a professional. CPSC advice is that doors which are not balanced, or that bind or stick, "should be serviced by a professional" (CPSC Pub. 523). Do not try to adjust, release or replace springs, cables or tracks yourself, and do not pull the emergency release on a door with a broken spring to free a car. A trained technician has the tools and the training for this work.
Massachusetts
Spring and cable repair in Massachusetts
Check the registration. A company working on an existing owner-occupied home with one to four units must be registered as a Home Improvement Contractor (OCABR contractor resources), though some small jobs under $500 are exempt (OCABR homeowner resources). A quick search on the Contractor Hub takes a minute, even when you're in a hurry.
Get the price in writing. Repairs over $1,000 need a written contract with the total price and payment schedule, and if you sign at home you can cancel until midnight of the third business day (M.G.L. c.142A §2; c.93 §48).
Afterward, test the opener. Once the door is balanced again, the federal warning label calls for a monthly reversal test with a 1½-inch-thick object on the floor under the closing door; if it doesn't reverse, the opener needs adjusting, repair or replacement (16 CFR 1211.17).
New Hampshire
Spring and cable repair in New Hampshire
Ask the right questions. The Attorney General says "contractors do not need to be licensed" in New Hampshire and recommends asking every contractor for proof of insurance and references. Even for an urgent repair, agree on the price and payment in writing before work starts, and be wary of a demand for full payment before the job is done (NH Attorney General).
Complaints. Problems with a contractor can be reported to the Consumer Protection Hotline at 1-888-468-4454 (NH Consumer Protection Hotline).
Afterward, test the opener. CPSC suggests checking the door and opener every 30 days and testing the reversal with a 2x4 on the floor in the door's path; an opener that fails should be disengaged until it is fixed (CPSC Pub. 523).
New Hampshire garage door rules and the towns we cover.
Last verified November 2026. New England Garage Door Pros is a referral service. We don't repair springs or cables.
FAQ
Spring and cable questions
Can I replace a broken garage door spring myself?
We don't recommend it and won't give steps for it. The Consumer Product Safety Commission says a door that is not balanced, or that binds or sticks, should be serviced by a professional. Leave the door where it is and call a garage door company.
The spring broke with the car inside. What should I do?
If a spring or cable has snapped or the door is hanging crooked, leave it closed or open as it is, keep people and cars clear of it, and do not try to release or adjust it yourself. Federal safety guidance says a door that is unbalanced or binding should be serviced by a professional. Our referral service is not an emergency dispatcher, so if it cannot wait, call a garage door company directly as well as sending us a request.
Can I just use the opener to lift the door?
Don't keep trying. With a broken spring or cable the door is out of balance, and CPSC advice is to have such a door serviced by a professional rather than forcing it.
Does a spring replacement company need to be registered in Massachusetts?
Generally yes, for work on an existing owner-occupied home with one to four units, unless the whole job is under $500 or another exemption applies. Look the company up on the state Contractor Hub. In New Hampshire, the Attorney General says contractors do not need to be licensed, so ask for proof of insurance.
What does it cost me to use New England Garage Door Pros?
Nothing. The request and the referral are free; the garage door company prices the repair.
Town guides
Local rules for spring and cable repair by town
Each town page covers when that town wants a permit for a garage door job, local review rules and the homes you'll find there. Towns with a local guide so far: Greater Lowell, MA (Lowell, Chelmsford, Dracut, Tewksbury, Billerica, Westford, Tyngsborough and Pepperell), Andover, Lawrence & Haverhill, MA (Methuen, Lawrence, Andover, North Andover and Haverhill), Woburn, Reading & Melrose, MA (Woburn, Lexington, Burlington, Wilmington, North Reading, Reading, Wakefield, Melrose, Stoneham and Winchester), Nashua Region, NH (Nashua, Hudson and Merrimack), Salem, Derry & Londonderry, NH (Pelham, Salem, Windham, Derry and Londonderry), Manchester & Bedford, NH (Manchester and Bedford) and Portsmouth, Dover & Rochester, NH (Portsmouth, Dover and Rochester). We add towns across New England as we can cover them properly.
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