Common Garage Door Repairs and What You Can Expect to Pay

by | Dec 4, 2017 | Uncategorized | 5 comments

Overhead Door garage door technician working on garage door opener

September in Lubbock can still feel a lot like summer. But anyone who has lived in West Texas for long knows that cooler mornings and the first real cold fronts aren’t far away.

That makes September a good time to pay a little attention to something you probably use every day without thinking much about it: your garage door.

Heat, dust, wind and everyday use can take a toll on a garage door over the summer. Small problems that aren’t especially noticeable in August can turn into a garage door that won’t open, won’t close or suddenly needs repair once temperatures begin changing.

You don’t need to become a garage door expert. A quick inspection can help you catch some of the more common problems before they leave your car stuck inside—or outside—the garage.

Here are seven things Lubbock homeowners should check this fall.

1. Look at the Weather Stripping Around Your Garage Door

Start at the bottom of the door.

The rubber seal should make fairly consistent contact with the garage floor when the door is closed. If you can see daylight underneath the door, notice sections that are cracked or missing, or have a seal that has become hard and brittle, it may be time to replace it.

In West Texas, this isn’t only about keeping cold air outside.

Good garage door weather stripping can also help reduce the amount of dust, dirt, leaves and insects that find their way into the garage when the wind picks up.

Check the seals along the sides and top of the door as well.

If your garage always seems dusty even when the door stays closed, worn weather stripping is one of the first things worth checking.

2. Pay Attention to a Garage Door That’s Getting Louder

Garage doors aren’t silent, but you probably know what yours normally sounds like.

Don’t ignore a new:

  • Grinding sound

  • Squeak

  • Rattle

  • Popping noise

  • Scraping sound

  • Sudden bang

A noisy garage door doesn’t automatically mean you need a major repair. Sometimes rollers, hinges, or other moving components simply need attention.

But a new or increasingly loud sound can also indicate a worn roller, loose hardware, track problem or another component beginning to fail.

The important thing is noticing when the sound changes.

Catching the problem early is usually much better than waiting until the door stops moving altogether.

 

3. Check for Signs of a Garage Door Spring Problem

Your garage door is heavy. The springs do much of the work required to lift it.

That makes a broken garage door spring one of the most common—and most important—garage door repairs.

Signs of a spring problem can include:

  • The garage door suddenly feels extremely heavy

  • The opener runs but struggles to lift the door

  • The door opens a few inches and stops

  • The door appears uneven while opening

  • You heard a loud bang from the garage

  • You can see a visible gap in a torsion spring above the door

A broken spring isn’t something we recommend attempting to replace yourself.

Garage door springs operate under significant tension and require the proper tools and experience to service safely.

If you think you have a broken garage door spring in Lubbock, stop repeatedly operating the door and have it inspected.

 

4. Make Sure Your Garage Door Opens and Closes Smoothly

Stand back and watch the door complete a full opening and closing cycle.

You’re looking for smooth, consistent movement.

A door that jerks, shakes, hesitates or appears crooked may have an issue with its rollers, tracks, cables, springs or other hardware.

Also pay attention to speed.

If you’ve recently found yourself thinking, “Why is my garage door opening so slowly?” that’s worth investigating.

Problems tend to become more noticeable as components wear. A door that is already struggling after a long West Texas summer may not improve on its own.

 

5. Test Your Garage Door Opener

Sometimes the garage door itself is fine and the problem is the opener.

Common garage door opener problems include a door that:

  • Doesn’t respond to the remote

  • Opens but won’t close

  • Stops partway

  • Reverses unexpectedly

  • Makes noise without moving the door

  • Requires several button presses before working

Before assuming the opener needs to be replaced, check the obvious things. Replace the remote battery and make sure nothing is blocking the safety sensors near the bottom of the door.

Dust can be especially relevant around Lubbock garages. If the photo-eye sensors become dirty or misaligned, the opener may think something is blocking the doorway and refuse to close normally.

If you’ve cleaned the sensors and the problem keeps happening, it may be time to have the opener or garage door inspected.

 

6. Check the Door for Wind, Hail and Everyday Damage

West Texas weather isn’t particularly gentle on anything outside.

Walk outside and look across the surface of your garage door.

Check for:

  • Dented garage door panels

  • Bent sections

  • Gaps between panels

  • Loose hinges or hardware

  • Damage around the tracks

  • Cracked or deteriorated seals

  • Sections that no longer sit correctly when the door closes

A small dent doesn’t always mean you need an entirely new garage door.

Depending on the door and the extent of the damage, individual components or panels may be repairable or replaceable.

On the other hand, if the door has significant damage, keeps requiring repairs or is simply reaching the end of its useful life, replacement may make more sense.

A local garage door company can help you compare the cost of garage door repair versus replacement rather than guessing. 

 

7. Think About How Well Your Garage Is Sealed Before Winter

We may not get months of bitter cold in Lubbock, but West Texas can still deliver some pretty dramatic temperature changes.

If your garage is attached to the house, a poorly sealed garage door can also affect how comfortable the rooms around it feel.

Check for obvious gaps around the closed door, damaged weather stripping and areas where outside air is getting in.

This can be especially worth addressing if you:

  • Spend time working in your garage

  • Have plumbing running through the garage

  • Use the garage for storage

  • Have living space above or beside it

  • Own an older, poorly insulated garage door

If you’re already considering replacing an older door, ask about insulated garage door options. The right choice depends on your garage, how you use it and what you want from the door.

 

When Should You Call a Garage Door Repair Company?

Not every squeak requires a service call.

But some garage door problems shouldn’t be ignored.

Call a professional if your garage door:

Won’t open or close:
There could be a problem with the springs, cables, opener, tracks, sensors or another component.

Has a broken spring:
Garage door spring replacement should be handled by a trained technician.

Is hanging crooked:
Stop using it until you know what’s causing the problem.

Has a loose or broken cable:
Cables are part of the system responsible for controlling a very heavy moving door.

Keeps reversing or stopping:
The problem could involve the safety sensors, opener or the door itself.

Has been damaged by wind, hail or an impact:
A damaged door may still move while putting additional stress on other components.

Is getting progressively louder:
Changing noises are often one of the first signs that something isn’t working the way it should.

Repair the Garage Door Now or Wait?

It’s easy to put off a garage door problem when the door technically still works.

The problem is that garage doors have a number of parts that work together. A worn or damaged component can put additional strain on the rest of the system.

If something suddenly sounds different, moves differently or doesn’t look right, September is a great time to deal with it.

You’ll have one less thing to worry about when the first West Texas cold front rolls through. 

 

Need Garage Door Repair in Lubbock?

If your garage door is making strange noises, won’t open or close, has a broken spring, needs new weather stripping or just doesn’t seem to be working the way it should, Overhead Door Company of Lubbock™ can help.

We’ve served Lubbock and surrounding West Texas communities for more than 70 years, providing garage door repair, installation and maintenance for local homeowners and businesses.

Whether you need a simple repair, a new garage door opener or help deciding whether it’s time to replace an older garage door, our local team can inspect the problem and recommend the right next step.

Schedule garage door repair in Lubbock today or call us at (806) 797-4141.

With garage door repair scams springing up around the country, and even in the Lubbock area, we wanted to make sure homeowners have a good understanding of the types of common garage door repairs and how to easily diagnose them. We also want to give you a general idea of what you should be paying for each of these repairs. It’s important to have a general understanding of home repairs and costs so you don’t get pressured into paying more than you should.

Should I have a professional fix my garage door?

There’s many home repairs that I would say to go ahead and DIY, but fixing the garage door isn’t one of them. It’s important to realize the benefits of having a professional come and fix your garage door system. Having your door professionally repaired is definitely worth the cost.  A professional door technician can ensure the necessary repairs have been done correctly and make sure your garage door system runs smoothly and efficiently.

Broken Springs

A broken garage door spring is a very common garage door repair. Replacing a broken spring is something we always recommend being done by a professional. Springs are under incredible amount of tension and can be very dangerous to install if you don’t know what you’re doing.  Springs also have to be wound with special tools, because of this, it’s important to call a trained garage door technician to replace it.  If you need spring replacement, give us a call today.

Types of Garage Door Springs

There are two types of springs on garage door systems, torsion and extension springs. If either of these springs break, you should easily be able to notice it.

If you want to know if your torsion garage door spring is broken, look towards the inside top of your garage door. Garage doors have either one or two torsion springs on both sides of the door. You can see from the picture below that the torsion spring on the right side has snapped. If you see this then it’s time to call a professional to replace your spring.

broken spring on garage door

When extension springs break, the springs that extend from the garage door to the opener, you’ll usually see a spring hanging from the tracks of your door.

How long should a garage door spring last?

Garage door springs will typically last 5,000 to 10,000 cycles.  One cycle is equal to you opening and closing your garage door once.  If you use your garage door as the main entrance to your home, then chances are your garage door springs will break sooner than someone who doesn’t use their door as often.

How much does a garage door spring replacement cost?

A torsion spring will cost anywhere from $60 – $70 to purchase and to have it installed by a professional garage door company should cost you around $140 to $155 for one torsion spring replacement.  If you have two torsion springs on your garage door that need replacing, the total cost for installation should be in the range of $220 – $240.

The price for one extension spring should cost around $30. To have a professional install your extension spring should cost from $100 – $120 for replacing one extension spring and around $130 – $150 to replace both extension springs.

Snapped Garage Door Cables

The cables on a garage door are attached to the bottom bracket and are coiled around a cable drum for garage doors with a torsion spring. For garage doors with an extension spring. The cables are attached to the bottom bracket, go up over a pulley and then go through a pulley on the extension spring.  You’ll also have a cable going through the middle of the extension spring, which keeps the spring from flying across your garage if the spring breaks.

The cables help to lift your garage door, without them your garage door system is incomplete.  Cables are under high tension, so it’s important to call someone who is experienced to fix the broken cables on your door.

Garage door cables cost around $15 each and $30 for the pair. We recommend getting cables installed or replaced by a professional door company, so you would include the service/installation fee.  The total amount you should spend on replacing cables should be in the range of $90 to $115.

Malfunctioning Garage Door Safety Sensors

How to tell if my garage door sensors aren’t working?

Another very common problem is malfunctioning garage door sensors. There’s a couple of names for these very helpful and required security features you’ll hear when contacting garage door companies. They will be called photo eyes, sensors or safety beams.   These photo eyes work by using an infrared beam, which keeps the door from closing if an object passes through them.

To see if your sensors are causing you garage door issues, the indicator light on them will be flashing.  If this indicator light is not flashing, chances are there isn’t an issue with your sensors.

If your sensors are flashing, here are some common issues.

If the sensors are not aligned, it will cause your garage door to not function properly or cause it to not operate at all. In this case, the sensors will need to be adjusted until the flashing light turns solid.

If there’s something obstructing the beams like leaves, it may keep your door from operating. Clear any debris or obstructions from the pathway of the door and then try operating your garage door.

Also, if dirt gets on the photo eyes, the system may think there is an obstruction in the pathway of your door. Make sure sensors are clear and clean, then try operating the door.

If none of this works and it seems your sensors are working properly, call us to get a professional to diagnose the issue.

The cost to fix malfunctioning garage door sensors

The cost to fix malfunctioning sensors usually won’t cost more than a service call fee, which can range on average from $75 – $85.

If you’re needing to replace your garage door safety sensors they should cost around $85 – $95 and if you want them installed by a professional, then the total cost will be around $170.

Garage Door Remote Not Working

Why isn’t my garage door remote not working?

When a garage door remote isn’t working it’s usually simple to diagnose.  If it’s only one remote that’s not working, first try replacing the battery.  If you find it still doesn’t work after replacing the battery, give us a call to help diagnose the problem. It could be a programming issue, or you may need to purchase a new remote for your garage door opener.

How much does a new garage door remote cost?

The price for a new garage door opener remote depends on the type you get. Remotes range in prices from $30 – $50.

Why is my Garage Door Noisy?

A loud garage door is another common problem we hear about.  This problem can most often just be solved by spraying your doors hinges, brackets, and springs with a lubricant spray.  Spraying your garage door regularly with lube is a great way to keep your door maintained and running smoothly for years.  If greasing up your door components doesn’t help, then you may need to replace a part on your garage door system.  We are fully stocked with all the garage door parts you may need.

How much does it cost to just have someone come look at my garage door?

To have someone come out to look at your garage door it will cost about $75 – $85 plus any parts that you may need.

If all your needing is a lubricant spray for your garage door, then it will cost you around $12 per bottle.

New Circuit Board for Opener

If your garage door opener isn’t working at all then it could be that you need a new circuit board.  This is a job that’s best done by a professional. The cost for the circuit board including installation should be in the range of $165 to $175.

Other door parts and prices

Rollers are worn

If you need new rollers for your garage door, expect to pay around $10 each.

New Hinges

You can expect to pay around $15 each for a new hinge on your garage door.

Garage Door Openers

A well-maintained garage door opener should last 10 – 15 years.  This depends on how often you use your garage door, the brand you buy, and the reliability and construction of the opener.

More resources on garage door repairs and how to make sure you are working with a reputable garage door company

Also, take a look at the Overhead Door Corporate website, where you’ll find a four-part series on protecting yourself against scammers in the garage door industry.  The first blog goes into, “How Consumers Fall Victim to Garage Door Scams“. This article will teach how to identify “red flags” in garage door companies’ advertising.  The second blog goes into “The Four Common Reasons Your Garage Door May Need Service and Repair“. The third blog of this series dives deeper into shady marketing and sales tactics of garage door repair scams. In the fourth part of the garage door scam series, it will let you know what questions to ask to make sure you’re working with a reputable garage door repair company.

Also, here are some helpful tips to make sure you are working with “The Genuine. The Original. Overhead Door Company of Lubbock”.

*The prices listed above are an average. Prices may vary depending on the extent of the job, location of the job, and other factors.

*Please note that depending on the region you live in; garage door repair prices may vary. These prices are intended to give consumers a general idea of the cost of garage door repairs and do not reflect the actual prices of these services.