Garage Door Services

Broken garage door springs are the most dangerous DIY repair a homeowner can attempt. Torsion springs store 200–400 ft-lbs of torque and cause numerous injuries every year when improperly handled. When a spring breaks, the full weight of the door (150–400 lbs depending on size and material) is unsupported. Never try to open the door manually or with the opener — the opener isn’t designed to lift the door’s full weight alone and can burn out the motor or cause the door to crash down. A professional replacement costs $150–$450 and takes 1–2 hours with proper tools and safety equipment.

A door that has jumped its tracks is a crushing hazard — it can fall without warning. The problem is usually a broken cable, bent track, or severely worn roller, and the door’s full weight is only partially supported. Do not attempt to force the door back into the track or pull the emergency release cord, as this could cause the door to drop. A technician can safely secure the door, diagnose whether the track, rollers, or cables need replacement ($85–$300), and rebalance the system to prevent recurrence.

If the motor runs but the door doesn’t respond, the most likely causes are a stripped gear inside the opener ($100–$200 to repair), a disconnected or broken drive chain/belt ($100–$300), or a spring failure that’s making the door too heavy for the opener to lift. If the door reverses immediately after touching the ground, the close-force setting or travel-limit switch needs adjustment — or the safety sensors are misaligned. While sensor alignment is a simple DIY check, gear and drive repairs require disassembly of the opener housing and should be done by a technician.

These are warning signs of imminent component failure. Frayed cables can snap under tension, causing the door to drop suddenly. Rusty springs have weakened metal that reduces their cycle life and increases fracture risk. Grinding or popping noises indicate worn rollers, dry bearings, or a spring nearing the end of its lifespan (typically 10,000–20,000 cycles, or 7–10 years for average use). Addressing these issues proactively during a scheduled service call ($150–$350) is far cheaper and safer than dealing with an emergency failure that can damage the door, opener, or vehicle underneath.

High winds, hail, and falling tree limbs can buckle panels, bend tracks, and compromise the door’s structural integrity. A damaged garage door is both a security vulnerability and a potential hazard if the weakened structure collapses during the next storm. Insurance typically covers storm damage, so document the damage with photos before calling a technician. Single-panel replacement runs $250–$800, but if multiple panels are damaged or the tracks are warped, full door replacement ($800–$4,500) may be more cost-effective. A technician can assess whether repair or replacement makes more financial sense.