Garage door opener repair
Your opener clicks, but the door won’t budge?
A click means the opener is getting power and trying. The door not moving usually points to a broken spring, a stripped drive gear, or the trolley disconnected. Here's how to tell which.
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Is this what you're seeing?
You press the remote or wall button and hear a click, or a click and a hum, from the opener.
The door doesn’t move, or moves an inch and stops.
The opener light may still come on as normal.
It may have started suddenly, or the door has been slow and noisy for a while.
What's going on
Most of the time the opener is fine and the door is the problem. If a torsion spring has broken, the door is too heavy for the opener, so it clicks, strains and gives up.
When the springs are intact, the next suspect is inside the opener. On chain and belt openers, a plastic drive gear wears out and strips, so the motor hums but nothing turns. A failing logic board or relay can also click without starting the motor.
Sometimes it’s simpler: the emergency release was pulled and the trolley is disconnected, or the door is locked from the inside.
What to do right now
Do
Look at the springs above the door. A gap in the coil means the spring broke, and it’s a spring job.
Check that the door’s inside lock or slide bolt isn’t engaged.
Unplug the opener if it keeps humming, so the motor doesn’t overheat.
Don't
Don’t keep pressing the button. A straining opener can burn out its motor or bend the door.
Don’t pull the emergency release while the door is open if you think a spring is broken.
Don’t open the opener’s cover with it plugged in.
How we fix it
We find out first whether it’s the door or the opener, because the fix is different. Opener work is covered under garage door opener repair. This is what our records show on these calls.
What the work involved
- Remotes and keypads77 of 393 jobs
- Chain or belt56 of 393 jobs
- Springs56 of 393 jobs
- New opener34 of 393 jobs
- Safety sensors13 of 393 jobs
- Opener jobs since 2017
- 493
- Typical time on site
- 75 min
- Busiest season
- Fall
Recent jobs like this
Jan 2025
LakewoodFound
The opener's front idler gear had worn out.
Fixed
Replaced the gear.
Sep 2024
LakewoodFound
The opener's gear and sprocket were failing, and a door section was coming apart.
Fixed
Tightened the opener chain, replaced 10 rollers, adjusted the springs and tracks, and tuned up the door.
Jul 2023
DenverFound
The opener's logic board had failed, so the door wouldn't run properly.
Fixed
Replaced the opener with a side-mount unit, including remote and wall button.
Feb 2023
Denver metroFound
The door stuck when closing. The chain opener's gear was shredding itself, the springs were the wrong size for the door, and a cable was frayed.
Fixed
Replaced the frayed cable and set the homeowner up for a new opener.
Jun 2022
Denver metroFound
The door opened only some of the time. The old opener's logic board couldn't learn new remotes.
Fixed
Replaced the opener, since the old one couldn't be reprogrammed.
Nov 2022
West metroFound
A screw-drive opener was running rough.
Fixed
Lubricated the drive with high-temperature grease, then checked the springs, sensors and limit settings.
Repair or replace?
A stripped gear or a bad board on a newer opener is worth repairing. On an older unit, or one without current safety features, a new opener often makes more sense. We’ll tell you which on site.
Related questions
My garage door opener clicks but won't open. What's wrong?
A single click with no movement usually means the motor has power but can't turn.
Read full answerDo the springs or the opener lift my garage door?
The springs lift your garage door, not the opener. They counterbalance the weight and the opener just guides it. Here is why that matters.
Read full answerHow do I know if my garage door spring is broken?
Is your garage door spring broken? Look for a loud bang, a 2 to 4 inch gap in the spring, or a door that won't lift. Here are the signs to check.
Read full answerRelated services
Find out what’s really stopping your door
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