Repairing a Broken Garage Door: Complete Troubleshooting and Fix Guide

The most common garage door repairs include spring replacement, track realignment, cable repair, roller replacement, panel replacement, and opener troubleshooting. Start by identifying the symptom: a door that will not open usually indicates broken springs, a noisy door suggests worn rollers or dry hinges, and a crooked door points to cable or track issues. Never attempt spring or cable repairs yourself. Advanced Door provides same-day garage door repair across Utah with a 4.9-star rating across 30,000+ reviews. Family owned since 1994 with a free lifetime warranty. Call (844) 971-3667 for a free estimate.

Last updated: April 2026

A broken garage door is more than an inconvenience. It is a security risk, a safety hazard, and a problem that gets worse the longer you wait. Whether your door is stuck halfway open, making terrible noises, hanging crooked, or refusing to move at all, this guide covers every type of garage door break, what you can safely check yourself, and when to call a professional.

If your garage door is broken right now and you need help fast, call Advanced Door at (844) 971-3667 for a free estimate. We serve all of Utah with same-day emergency service available.

The Most Common Types of Garage Door Breaks

Not all garage door failures are the same. Understanding what type of break you are dealing with helps you decide whether it is a quick fix or a call to a technician. Here are the most common types of garage door breaks ranked by how often they occur.

Broken Torsion or Extension Springs

Springs are the single most common point of failure on any garage door system. Standard torsion springs last 10,000 to 15,000 cycles (one cycle equals one open and one close), which means most springs fail after 7 to 12 years of normal use. When a spring breaks, you will usually hear a loud bang from the garage, and the door will either refuse to open or feel extremely heavy when you try to lift it manually.

Advanced Door uses lifetime warranty springs with 2x to 3x the cycle count of standard springs. That means one replacement lasts the life of your door instead of failing again in 7 to 12 years. Call (844) 971-3667 for a free spring replacement estimate.

Snapped or Frayed Cables

Cables work with the springs to lift and lower the door in a controlled way. When a cable snaps, the door may drop suddenly, hang crooked, or get stuck partway. Frayed cables are a warning sign that a full snap is coming soon. If you see any fraying, do not use the door until the cables are replaced.

Door Off Track

Garage doors ride along vertical and horizontal tracks on both sides. If the door hits something, a roller breaks, or a cable snaps, the door can jump off its track. An off-track door is dangerous because it can fall unexpectedly. Do not try to force it back into position. The door, tracks, and rollers all need to be inspected before the door can safely operate again.

Broken or Worn Rollers

Rollers are the small wheels that guide the door along the tracks. Cheap steel rollers wear out in 3 to 5 years, while quality nylon rollers last 10 to 15 years. When rollers fail, you will hear grinding, squealing, or popping sounds, and the door may jerk or hesitate during operation. Broken rollers can also cause the door to go off track.

Damaged Panels

Panels crack from impact (cars backing into the door, basketballs, wind-blown debris) or from years of weathering. A single damaged panel can sometimes be replaced without replacing the entire door, but only if the manufacturer still makes that panel style and the rest of the door is in good shape.

Opener Failure

If the door itself seems fine but nothing happens when you press the button, the problem is likely in the opener. Common opener failures include burned-out motors, stripped gears, dead logic boards, and failed capacitors. Remote and keypad issues are usually separate from the opener unit itself.

Sensor Problems

The safety sensors at the bottom of the door tracks prevent the door from closing on people, pets, or objects. When sensors are misaligned, dirty, or damaged, the door will either refuse to close or reverse immediately after starting to close. This is one of the most common “broken door” complaints, and it is often the easiest to fix.

Broken Bottom Seal or Weatherstripping

The rubber seal at the bottom of the door keeps out water, pests, dust, and cold air. It cracks and hardens over time, especially in Utah’s extreme temperature swings. A broken seal is not an emergency, but it leads to energy loss, water damage, and pest entry if ignored.

How to Diagnose What Went Wrong

Before you call anyone, you can usually narrow down the problem in a few minutes by observing what the door is doing (or not doing). Use this quick diagnostic guide.

What You Can Safely Fix Yourself

Some garage door problems are safe for homeowners to handle without professional help. Here are the repairs you can do yourself, and exactly how to do them.

Sensor Realignment

If your door opens fine but refuses to close (or reverses immediately), the safety sensors are the first thing to check. Look at the two small sensors at the bottom of the tracks on each side. Each sensor has a small LED light. If one or both lights are off or blinking, the sensors are misaligned or obstructed.

• Clear any debris, cobwebs, or dirt from both sensor lenses
• Check that nothing is blocking the invisible beam between the two sensors
• Loosen the wing nut or bracket screw on the sensor that is blinking
• Gently adjust the sensor angle until the LED turns solid (usually green)
• Tighten the bracket and test the door

For a complete walkthrough, see our guide to aligning garage door sensors.

Remote and Keypad Troubleshooting

Before assuming the opener is broken, check the simple things first. Replace the batteries in your remote. If the keypad is not responding, replace its battery (usually a 9-volt or 12-volt). Try the wall-mounted button inside the garage. If the wall button works but the remote does not, the issue is the remote, not the opener.

For more remote fixes, see our 8 fixes for a garage door remote that will not work.

Lubrication

Many grinding, squeaking, and sticking problems are solved with proper lubrication. Use a silicone-based or lithium-based garage door lubricant (not WD-40, which is a solvent, not a lubricant). Apply it to the rollers, hinges, torsion spring coils, and the opener chain or screw drive. This takes five minutes and should be done twice a year.

Our complete maintenance schedule covers everything you should lubricate and how often.

Weatherstrip and Bottom Seal Replacement

Replacing the rubber seal at the bottom of the door is straightforward. Most seals slide into a channel (called a retainer) along the bottom edge of the door. Pull out the old seal, clean the channel, and slide in the new one. Replacement seals are available at most hardware stores. See our bottom seal replacement guide for detailed steps.

Tightening Loose Hardware

Garage doors vibrate thousands of times per year. Over time, bolts on hinges, brackets, and track mounts work loose. Use a socket wrench to check and tighten all visible bolts on the tracks, hinges, and brackets. Do not touch the bottom brackets where the cables attach because those are under spring tension.

When to Call a Professional

The following repairs involve high-tension components, heavy lifting, or specialized tools. Attempting them without training risks serious injury, further damage to your door, or both.

• Spring replacement – Torsion springs are wound under extreme tension. This is the number one cause of DIY garage door injuries.
• Cable replacement – Cables are connected to the spring system and are under load when the door is down.
• Door off track – Getting a door back on track requires releasing tension and carefully realigning heavy components.
• Panel replacement – Removing and installing panels requires disconnecting springs, cables, and hardware in the correct sequence.
• Opener motor or gear replacement – Electrical work plus heavy motor units mounted on the ceiling.
• Track realignment or replacement – Tracks must be precisely plumb and level for the door to operate safely.
• Anything involving the torsion bar, drums, or bottom brackets – All connected to the high-tension spring system.

For a deeper look at why spring replacement should never be a DIY project, read our guide: Can you replace garage door springs yourself?

Garage Door Repair Costs (Industry Ranges)

Repair costs vary based on the type of repair, the parts needed, and the complexity of the job. Here are typical industry ranges for the most common garage door repairs.

These are industry averages. Actual costs depend on your specific door, the parts needed, and the complexity of the job. Advanced Door provides free estimates so you know the exact cost before any work begins. Call (844) 971-3667 for a no-obligation quote.

For a complete cost breakdown, see our garage door repair cost guide for Utah.

Utah-Specific Factors That Break Garage Doors

If you live in Utah, your garage door faces conditions that homeowners in milder climates never deal with. Understanding these factors helps explain why your door broke and how to prevent it from happening again.

Extreme Temperature Swings

Utah regularly sees 60 to 80 degree temperature swings between summer highs and winter lows. Metal components expand and contract with these swings, causing fatigue over time. Springs lose tension faster, and metal tracks can shift slightly as they expand and contract daily during shoulder seasons.

Road Salt and Chemical Corrosion

UDOT applies thousands of tons of road salt every winter. Your car carries that salt into the garage every time you pull in. The salt deposits settle on springs, tracks, hinges, and the bottom edge of door panels. Over months and years, this corrosion weakens components and accelerates failure, especially on springs and bottom sections.

UV Exposure at Elevation

Utah’s high elevation means stronger UV radiation than sea-level states. This affects rubber components (weatherstripping, bottom seals, sensor wiring insulation) and paint/finish on the door itself. South-facing garage doors take the worst beating from UV in Utah.

Wind and Dust

Utah’s wind corridors (Point of the Mountain, Davis County lake effect, Cache Valley canyon winds) create pressure differentials that stress door panels and hardware. Dust and fine debris also infiltrate tracks and rollers, accelerating wear. Tooele County and areas near the Great Salt Lake face additional airborne salt corrosion.

Dry Air

Utah’s low humidity dries out rubber seals and wood garage doors faster than humid climates. Wood doors can crack, warp, and split without consistent sealing and maintenance. Rubber seals become brittle and crack years sooner than the manufacturer’s rated lifespan.

How to Prevent Future Breakdowns

Most garage door breaks are preventable with basic maintenance. Here is what you should do to keep your door running reliably.

Annual Professional Tune-Up

A professional tune-up catches problems before they become emergencies. A technician will check spring tension, inspect cables for fraying, test the door balance, lubricate all moving parts, tighten hardware, test safety features, and identify components nearing end of life. This one visit per year prevents the majority of emergency repair calls.

Twice-Yearly Lubrication

Lubricate rollers, hinges, spring coils, and the opener drive (chain, belt, or screw) with a garage-door-specific lubricant every spring and fall. This reduces friction, prevents corrosion, and extends the life of every moving part.

Monthly Visual Inspection

Take 60 seconds once a month to look at your garage door while it operates. Watch for jerky movement, listen for new noises, look for cable fraying, check that the door sits level when closed, and make sure the bottom seal touches the ground evenly. Catching problems early means cheaper and simpler repairs.

Keep the Tracks Clean

Wipe down the inside of both tracks with a damp cloth a few times a year. Remove dirt, debris, and any salt buildup. Do not lubricate the tracks themselves since the rollers need friction against the track surface to operate properly.

Test the Balance

Disconnect the opener by pulling the emergency release cord and lift the door manually to about waist height. Let go. A properly balanced door should stay in place or drift down slowly. If it slams down or shoots up, the springs need adjustment. Call a technician because spring adjustment is not a DIY task.

Replace Springs Proactively

If your springs are more than 8 to 10 years old and have never been replaced, they are approaching the end of their lifespan. Replacing them proactively (before they snap) is less expensive, less disruptive, and safer than waiting for an emergency failure. Advanced Door’s lifetime warranty springs mean you only replace once.

Address Small Problems Immediately

A noisy roller that goes ignored becomes a broken roller that causes an off-track door. A fraying cable that gets postponed becomes a snapped cable that drops the door. Small problems are always cheaper to fix than the bigger problems they turn into. If something sounds or looks wrong, get it checked.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I open my garage door if the spring is broken?

Technically yes, but the door will be extremely heavy (most residential doors weigh 150 to 250 pounds without spring assistance). It usually takes two strong adults to lift a door with broken springs. Do not use the opener to force the door open because this can burn out the opener motor. If you must open it, use the emergency release and lift manually with help.

How do I know if my garage door spring is broken?

The most common signs are a loud bang from the garage (the sound of the spring snapping), the door being extremely heavy to lift, a visible gap in the spring coils, or the door opening only a few inches before stopping. See our 7 signs your spring is about to break for early warning signs.

Is it cheaper to repair or replace a garage door?

It depends on the extent of the damage and the age of the door. If the door is less than 15 years old and only one or two components need repair, repairing is almost always the better value. If multiple systems are failing, the door is 20+ years old, or multiple panels are damaged, replacement may be more cost-effective. Our technicians will give you honest advice on both options.

How long does a garage door repair take?

Most common repairs (spring replacement, cable replacement, roller replacement, sensor adjustment) take 30 minutes to 2 hours. Panel replacement and opener installation take longer, typically 2 to 4 hours. Emergency repairs are often completed the same day you call.

Should I repair my garage door myself?

Simple tasks like sensor alignment, lubrication, tightening hardware, and weatherstrip replacement are safe DIY projects. Anything involving springs, cables, drums, bottom brackets, or the torsion bar should be left to a professional. The risk of injury is not worth the savings.

How often should I have my garage door serviced?

At minimum once per year for a professional tune-up. In Utah, twice per year (spring and fall) is ideal because of the extreme climate. Between professional visits, do a monthly visual inspection and lubricate moving parts twice per year.

Why does my garage door make noise?

The most common noise causes are dry rollers, loose hardware, worn bearings, or a chain-drive opener that needs lubrication. For a complete noise troubleshooting guide, see Why is my garage door so loud? and Garage door making grinding noise?

Does Advanced Door offer emergency garage door repair?

Yes. We offer same-day emergency service throughout Utah. If your door is stuck open or poses a safety risk, call (844) 971-3667 and we will prioritize your repair.