Opener Installation
When replacement wins, here's how to choose the next one.
Learn more →Symptom Triage
| Symptom | Likely Culprits |
|---|---|
| Totally dead, no lights | Outlet/GFCI tripped, unplugged (check first!), power supply failure |
| Hums, door doesn't move | Stripped drive gear, broken trolley, door disconnected |
| Clicks, light flashes | Photo-eye fault — see sensors |
| Starts then reverses | Sensors, force limits, binding door |
| Opens but won't close | Sensors again (the #1), close-force/limit settings |
| Runs slow / strains | Unbalanced door overloading motor, worn drive |
| Remotes flaky | Batteries, LED-bulb interference, receiver |
| Grinding racket | Drive gear, chain tension, trolley wear |
| Opens by itself | Stuck button, neighbor code overlap (old units), board fault — worth prompt attention |
What a Repair Visit Covers
- Rule out the door
Balance test first — a huge share of opener failures are secondary to spring problems, and fixing the opener alone just schedules the next failure.
- Diagnose the unit
Power, logic board, drive train, trolley, safety circuits, radio — in that order, with the findings shown to you.
- Repair with real parts
Gear kits, trolleys, sensors, remotes, wall consoles and boards for major brands ride on the truck.
- Recalibrate everything
Travel limits to the actual floor, force limits to spec, safety-reverse tested with the 2×4 test, remotes and keypad reprogrammed.
Common questions
Frequently Asked Questions
My opener hums but the door doesn't move. What's wrong?
On chain-drive AC units this is the signature of a stripped main drive gear — a sacrificial plastic gear that gives its life protecting the motor, often after the door's springs went out of balance and overloaded it. You may find white plastic shavings inside the housing. It's a standard repair — but we always balance-test the door too, because an unbalanced door will eat the new gear just like the old one.
The remote works only up close / not at all. New opener needed?
Almost never. Weak range is usually the remote battery, interference (LED bulbs in or near the opener are notorious — non-rated bulbs spray radio noise exactly in remote frequency ranges), or a failing receiver. No response at all is battery, programming loss or receiver. All cheap fixes relative to a new unit.
Why does my door start closing then reverse?
The opener thinks something's wrong: photo eyes misaligned or sun-blinded (see sensor repair), force limits set too sensitive, or a binding door creating real resistance. If it reverses immediately, think sensors; partway down with effort, think door binding or force settings.
My wall button works but nothing else does — or vice versa. Why?
They take different paths: wall buttons are wired, remotes are radio. Wall-only failure = remotes/receiver/programming; remote-only failure = button or its wiring (often a staple through the wire from some past project). This asymmetry is diagnostic gold — mention it when you call.
When is opener repair not worth it?
Dead logic board on an elderly unit, no photo-eye safety system (pre-1993), discontinued parts, or a repair quote near half of a quality new installation. We'll show you the math and the safety picture, then you decide. Openers with good bones get repaired all day long.
Keep exploring
Related Services
Sensor Repair
The DIY checklist that solves half of 'opener' complaints free.
Learn more →Spring Health
Unbalanced doors are the silent opener-killer.
Learn more →