Garage Door Opener Repair

When to Repair vs. Replace Your Garage Door Opener

The hardest question when your opener stops working: repair or replace? Here's the honest breakdown:

✅ REPAIR If Your Opener:

vs. for replacement )
• Works but has minor issues: Won't close fully, struggles in cold, occasional jam
• Is a quality brand: LiftMaster, Chamberlain, Genie openers worth repairing

❌ REPLACE If Your Opener:

• Is 15+ years old: Modern openers are 70% quieter, have smartphone control, safety features
• Has multiple failures: If you're fixing the 2nd or 3rd issue in 2 years, it's time
• Lacks safety sensors: Pre-1993 openers don't auto-reverse (dangerous, illegal)
repair vs. new opener? Replace.
• You want smart features: Adding MyQ to old opener estimates varies better to replace with built-in smart opener

Our honest assessment: We'll diagnose the issue and give you both repair and replacement estimates. No pressure—70% of service calls result in repair, not replacement.

Common Opener Problems & Repair s

The Truth About Opener Noise (Grinding, Clicking, Squealing)

Grinding or clicking when opener runs: This is the #1 repair call we get. It's almost always a stripped gear assembly. Here's why it happens:

What's a Gear Assembly?

Inside your opener's motor housing, there's a small plastic gear (called the drive gear) that connects the motor to the chain/belt rail. This plastic gear spins hundreds of thousands of times over the opener's life. Eventually, the teeth wear down or strip completely.

Why It Sounds Like Grinding

When gear teeth strip, the motor spins freely without catching the rail gear. You hear the motor running (a grinding or clicking sound) but the door doesn't move. The metal-on-metal contact creates the grinding noise.

Can You Keep Using It?

NO. Continuing to run the opener with stripped gears will:

• Burn out the motor from running without load
• Crack the motor housing from vibration

If your opener is grinding, stop using it immediately and disconnect the door arm. Use the manual release handle to open/close the door until repaired.

The Repair

). This includes:

• Drive gear (plastic)
• Drive sprocket (metal)
• Wear bushing
• Grease/lubrication

Takes 45-60 minutes. Opener works like new for another 8-12 years.

Why Your Opener Won't Close (But Opens Fine)

This is the #2 most common issue. Your opener opens the door perfectly, but when you try to close it, one of three things happens:

1. Door immediately reverses back up
2. Door closes 6-12 inches, then reverses
3. Opener clicks but doesn't move

The Usual Culprit: Safety Sensors

Your opener has two photo-eye sensors near the floor (one on each side of the door). These sensors create an invisible beam across the doorway. If the beam is broken (by a person, pet, or object), the door won't close or will reverse if closing.

Quick DIY Check

Look at the sensor lights:

• Both sensors have solid green/red lights: Sensors are aligned and working (problem is elsewhere)
• One or both sensors are blinking: Sensors are misaligned or obstructed
• No lights at all: Sensor wiring is damaged or disconnected

DIY Fix Attempts (Safe)

1. Clean the sensor lenses: Wipe with clean cloth (dirt/spider webs block beam)
2. Realign sensors: Gently adjust sensor brackets so they point directly at each other
3. Check for obstructions: Ensure nothing is in the doorway or near sensors
4. Test with wall button: If wall button closes door but remote doesn't, it's a remote issue, not sensors

When to Call Us

• Sensors won't stay aligned (mounting brackets bent)
• Wiring is damaged or chewed by rodents
• One sensor has no light (failed sensor, needs replacement)
• Problem persists after DIY attempts

Opener Works Sometimes, Not Others (Intermittent Issues)

Intermittent problems are the most frustrating. Your opener works fine for days, then suddenly stops. Then works again. This maddening pattern indicates:

Cold Weather Performance

If your opener works in warm weather but struggles in cold (below 35°F), you're dealing with:

• Thickened grease in gearbox: Cold grease becomes stiff, increasing resistance
• Weak capacitor: Capacitor gives motor starting power—weak capacitors fail in cold
• Metal contraction: Chain/belt contracts in cold, increasing tension and load

Electrical Gremlins

If the opener has:

• Good days and bad days (no weather pattern)
• Works after unplugging/replugging
• Display flickers or dims

You likely have:

• Loose wiring connection: Vibration loosens wire connections over time
• Failing circuit board: Corroded solder joints, failing capacitors on board
• Bad wall button wiring: Frayed wire between wall button and opener

Frequently Asked Questions