Garage Door Questions, Answered
These are the questions we get asked every week. If yours is not here, call 289-423-9146 and just ask.
Springs
I heard a loud bang from my garage. What was it?
Almost certainly a spring. It is the loudest thing that can fail on a garage door and people often think something fell over. Go and look — if the door will not open, or feels incredibly heavy, that confirms it.
Can I still use my door with a broken spring?
No. The spring is what carries the weight of the door. Without it the door is hundreds of pounds of dead weight held by a small motor that was never designed for it. Leave the door alone and call us.
One spring broke. Do I have to replace both?
Yes, and any honest technician will tell you the same. Both springs were fitted at the same time and have done the same number of cycles. Replacing one means the other fails soon, and you pay for a second call-out.
How long should a garage door spring last?
Springs are rated in cycles, not years. A standard spring is around 10,000 cycles. At four openings a day that is about seven years. At ten openings a day it is under three. If your garage is the family's main entrance, ask us about high-cycle springs.
Why can't I replace a spring myself?
Because they are wound under extreme tension and need specific tools and technique to release safely. Spring repairs cause serious hand and head injuries every year in Ontario homes. This is genuinely not a DIY job.
Doors that will not move properly
My door starts closing then goes back up. Why?
Nine times out of ten it is the two small safety sensors near the floor on either side. Something knocked one out of line, or dirt, a cobweb or a stored box is blocking the beam. Wipe the lenses and check they point at each other.
The motor runs but the door does not move.
Usually a stripped drive gear inside the opener, or the trolley has disconnected from the carriage. Check if someone pulled the red emergency release cord first — that alone explains a lot of these calls.
My door is crooked or hanging at an angle.
A cable has snapped or come off its drum. Stop using the door immediately. Running it in that state bends the tracks and turns a straightforward repair into an expensive one.
The door stops halfway and reverses.
Either something is in the way, the tracks are dirty or bent, or the opener's force setting needs adjusting. Sometimes it is the first sign that the springs are losing tension.
Noise
Why is my garage door so loud?
Most often worn steel rollers. Builders fit cheap ones with no bearings and after a few years they flatten and drag along the track. Loose hardware and dry hinges add to it.
Can you make my door quieter?
Yes, and it makes a big difference. Nylon rollers with sealed bearings, proper lubrication, tightened hardware, and a belt-drive opener if yours is an old chain drive. Doors under bedrooms go from waking the house to barely noticeable.
Openers
My remote stopped working.
Try the battery first — cold weather kills them fast. If a new battery does not fix it, the remote may need re-programming, or the opener's receiver has failed.
How long does a garage door opener last?
Usually 10 to 15 years. Beyond that, parts get hard to find and older units lack modern safety and security features.
My garage has a low ceiling. Can I still have an opener?
Yes. A wall-mount opener fits beside the door instead of above it and needs almost no headroom. A good solution for older garages that were never built with openers in mind.
Is an old opener a security risk?
It can be. Openers from the 1990s and earlier often use a fixed code that can be copied. Modern openers change the code every time you press the button.
Winter
My door will not open on cold mornings.
Two usual causes. The rubber seal is frozen to the concrete, or the grease has thickened in the cold. Do not keep pressing the button — that is how cables snap and opener gears strip. Free the ice first.
How do I stop the door freezing to the ground?
Keep the area below the door clear of snow and ice, make sure water is not pooling there, and replace the bottom seal if it has hardened or cracked.
Costs and service
Do you offer same-day service?
Most days, yes, depending on when you call and where you are. Call early for the best chance. Durham Region gets the fastest response since we are based in Ajax.
Should I repair my old door or replace it?
If the panels are solid, repair it — springs, cables, rollers and hardware are all replaceable. If panels are rotted, rusted through or badly bent, replacement usually costs less over time. We will tell you honestly which one you have.
How often should a garage door be serviced?
Once a year for normal use. Twice a year if the garage is your main entrance or several people use it daily.
Will you tell me the price before you start?
Always. You get a price before we come out. If we find something different when we arrive, we tell you before we touch anything — no work happens without you agreeing to it.
Still have a question?
Call or text 289-423-9146. Describing what the door is doing helps us bring the right parts first time.