What happens if a torsion spring is broken?

When a torsion spring breaks, the door loses its counterbalance and becomes a 150 to 350 pound dead weight. You will usually hear a loud bang, similar to a gunshot, when it snaps. The door will refuse to open with the opener, or it will lift only a few inches before the opener stops, reverses, or strains and shuts down. Trying to keep operating it will burn out the opener motor, strip the gears, or pull the opener mounting loose from the ceiling. The door is also unsafe to operate manually because there is nothing balancing the weight. Disconnect the opener with the red emergency release cord, leave the door closed, and call for spring replacement. Do not park inside.