Garage door opener repair
Many dead openers turn out to be a sensor, a setting or a worn gear, not a dead motor. We diagnose first and tell you if a repair or a replacement makes more sense.
Signs it's this
- The opener hums, clicks or runs, but the door does not move
- The door closes partway and reverses, or will not close at all
- The remote or wall button does nothing
- A blinking light on the opener, or one that flashes after you press the button
- Grinding or stripping noise from the motor
- The opener lights are on but nothing else responds
Do this now
First, check that the photo eyes at the bottom of the door tracks are clean, lined up and not blocked. Then check the wall button and the power. If the door has to be opened by hand, pull the red release cord only when the door is closed, and only if you are sure the springs are not broken. A door with a broken spring can fall fast.
What it costs
Starting prices, installed. You get the exact price in writing before any work starts.
| Opener repairPlus parts | $129 |
|---|---|
| New chain-drive opener, installed | $449 |
| New belt-drive opener, installed | $599 |
| Service callWaived when you approve the repair | $49 |
What we check on the visit
- Photo eyes: alignment, wiring and mounting height at the bottom of the tracks
- Safety reverse: the door must reverse when it meets a solid object, on every test
- Force and travel limit settings
- Logic board, capacitor and power supply
- Drive gear, sprocket or belt for wear and stripped teeth
- Remote, keypad and wall-control battery and programming
- Door balance, because a door with a bad spring will wear out any opener
Smart upgrade
Fixing the opener? Ask about making it smart.
A small hub can add app control and alerts to many openers we repair. We check your model first, so you only pay for something that works with it.
See smart openers from $129
On the job
Where it fails
The ringed numbers are the parts this entry covers. Tap any number to see what fails and where the price starts.
Ringed in green: the parts this page covers.
1 Torsion spring
Springs are rated for a set number of cycles. When one snaps, the door suddenly weighs 150 to 250 pounds.
from $229Read the entry
2 Cable drum and cables
Cables fray and slip off the drum, and the door hangs crooked or stops partway.
from $149Read the entry
3 Opener motor
The motor hums or clicks but will not lift. Stripped gears and burned boards are common.
from $129Read the entry
4 Track
A bent or loose track throws the rollers out, and the door jams or comes off.
from $149Read the entry
5 Hinges and rollers
Worn rollers grind, wobble and wear the track. Cracked hinges let panels flex.
from $139Read the entry
6 Door photo eyes
Bumped out of line, the safety eyes make the door reverse or refuse to close.
from $120Read the entry
7 Solar panel
Dust, shade and summer heat cut the charge the gate battery needs overnight.
from $149Read the entry
8 Gate control box
Storm surges and heat burn control boards and wear out the backup battery.
from $149Read the entry
9 Gate operator arm
A worn or undersized arm strains and stalls on a long, heavy gate.
from $2,495Read the entry
10 Gate photo eye, left post
A blocked or misaligned eye stops the gate mid-swing for safety.
from $95Read the entry
11 Gate photo eye, right post
The matching eye on the far post. Both have to see each other.
from $95Read the entry
12 Vehicle loop
A cut or worn loop in the drive means the gate will not open for cars leaving.
from $95Read the entry
Parts and options
- Photo eyes
- The two small sensors near the floor at either side of the door. They stop the door from closing on a person, pet or object.
- Logic board
- The circuit board that controls the opener. Boards can fail from power surges or age.
- Gear and sprocket kit
- Plastic or nylon gears inside the motor housing wear out and strip over time.
- Chain and belt
- The drive that pulls the trolley. Stretched or worn ones slip or make noise.
- Remotes and keypads
- Reprogrammed or replaced. Brands we commonly see include LiftMaster, Chamberlain and Genie.
- Wall control
- The wired button and lock setting inside the garage. A stuck lock mode is a common cause of a remote that seems dead.
Repair the opener or replace it?
A sensor, remote, battery or setting is the problem
Repair it. These are the cheapest and most common fixes.
A gear kit or a logic board has failed on a newer opener
Repair if the motor is sound and parts are available.
The opener is old and parts are hard to find
Replacement usually costs less than repeated repairs.
The opener has no photo eyes or no working safety reverse
Replace it. Openers built after 1993 are required to have entrapment protection.
The door is out of balance because of a broken spring
Fix the spring first. Do not blame the opener for a door it cannot lift.
Heat, storms and openers in Central Texas
A Central Texas garage can hit 120 degrees in August, and heat is hard on plastic gears and circuit boards. Spring thunderstorms bring power surges that can fry a logic board, and a plug-in surge protector is cheap insurance. Sun can also throw a bright glare on photo eye lenses and trip them in late afternoon.
D.L., 304 E Main St #204, Round Rock
Questions people ask on the phone
How much does garage door opener repair cost in Round Rock?
Opener repair starts at $129, plus parts. We tell you the cost of the part and the labor before we start, and your $49 service call is waived when you approve the repair on that visit.
Why does my garage door open but won't close?
Almost always the photo eyes. They are dirty, bumped out of line, blocked or wired poorly. Wipe the lenses, check that both lights are steady, and call us if the door still reverses.
Should I repair or replace my garage door opener?
If the problem is a sensor, remote or gear kit, repair makes sense. If the opener is old, has no safety sensors, or needs a board and a motor, replacement often costs less over time. We give you both numbers.
Is the safety reverse test really necessary?
Yes. A working opener must reverse when the closing door meets a solid object, and the photo eyes must stop it from closing on anything in the beam. We test both on every opener repair.
Do you repair LiftMaster, Chamberlain and Genie openers?
Yes, those are brands we commonly see, along with others. Tell us the make and model, if you can, when you call, and we will check parts before we arrive.
Something broke? Call the office.
(512) 777-0412Open daily 7am to 8pm. After-hours emergency line. 304 E Main St #204, Round Rock.