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Garage Door Opener Repair

When the opener quits, the door often isn't the problem, and sometimes the opener isn't either. Durham Garage Door Repair Pros can line up a technician to sort out which.

Run through the quick checks below first. One of them fixes a lot of calls.

Call (919) 555-0136or use the form for a call back

Ceiling mounted garage door opener motor unit with its light cover off, seen from below, with the rail running toward the door

What the Opener Is Telling You

Nothing happens at all, no light, no sound

No power: outlet, breaker or a tripped GFCI

It hums but the door doesn't move

Stripped gear inside, or the door is jammed or too heavy

The door goes up a few inches and stops

Usually a broken spring, not the opener

Plastic shavings under the motor

The main drive gear is wearing out

It opens or closes on its own

A faulty wall button or its wire

It works from the wall but not the remote

Remote battery, lock mode or radio interference

Rule Out the Door First

An opener is built to guide a balanced door, not to lift dead weight. If a spring is broken or the door is binding, the opener will strain, stop or flash its light.

With the door closed, pull the red release cord and lift the door by hand. If it lifts smoothly and stays halfway up, the door is fine and the problem is in the opener.

If it's heavy, see broken spring repair. Remember to reconnect the opener afterward.

Quick Checks You Can Do

  1. Power. Is the opener's light working? Plug a lamp into the ceiling outlet. Check the breaker and any GFCI outlet in the garage.
  2. Lock button. Many wall controls have a lock or vacation button that turns off the remotes. Hold it for a few seconds to turn it off.
  3. Sensors. If the door opens but won't close, it's almost always the sensors. See door won't close.
  4. Remotes. If the wall button works but a remote doesn't, start with a fresh battery. More on the remotes and keypads page.
  5. Limits. If the door stops short or reverses at the floor, the travel limits may need resetting. A power surge from a summer storm can wipe the settings on newer openers.

Repairs a Technician Handles

Stripped gears. Inside many chain and screw drive openers is a plastic gear. After about 15 to 20 years it wears out.

The motor hums, the door doesn't move, and you may see white plastic shavings. A sagging chain on an old opener is often an early sign.

Logic boards. The circuit board can fail from age or a lightning strike nearby. Thunderstorms are frequent in Durham summers, and surge damage is a common call afterward.

Ghosting. A door that opens on its own usually has a bad wall button or a shorted wire. Unplug the wall button for a day. If the ghosting stops, the button is the culprit.

Belts, chains, sprockets, sensors and wall buttons can all be replaced on their own.

Fix It or Replace It?

Check the date on the label of the motor unit. If the opener is about 15 years old or more and needs a gear or a board, replacing it usually makes more sense. A new one is quieter and safer, and many come with battery backup and a phone app.

A good technician will tell you if an opener is worth fixing. Our opener cost guide shows typical prices for both choices, and new opener installation covers the options.

Opener dead? Request a call back or call (919) 555-0136.

Call (919) 555-0136