Short answer: Most opener problems come from safety sensors, worn gears, logic boards, limit settings, or a door that's out of balance and too heavy for the motor. We test the door first, then the opener, so you don't pay to replace an opener that was only struggling because of a bad spring. Same-day service is available across the Bay Area.
Common opener problems and what usually causes them
| What you're seeing | Usual cause |
|---|---|
| Door goes down, then reverses back up | Safety sensors misaligned, dirty, or blocked; close force or limit set wrong; something binding in the track |
| Motor hums or clicks, door doesn't move | Stripped drive gear, failed capacitor, or a broken spring making the door too heavy |
| Wall button works, remotes don't | Lock mode turned on at the wall control, dead remote battery, or remotes that need re-pairing after a power surge |
| Opener light blinks and nothing happens | Opener is reporting a fault code, most often a sensor problem |
| Door stops partway up | Up limit drifting, worn trolley, or door out of balance |
| Grinding or very loud chain noise | Loose chain, worn sprocket, or dry rail |
| Completely dead | Tripped GFCI outlet, unplugged unit, or a logic board fried by a power surge |
A few things you can check first
Before you call anyone, take a minute to check these. They solve a surprising number of problems:
- The sensors. They're the two small boxes near the floor on each side of the door. Both should have steady lights. Wipe the lenses and make sure nothing's blocking them: a broom, a bike tire, or a spider web is enough.
- The lock button. Many LiftMaster and Chamberlain wall controls have a lock feature that blocks remotes. Kids and visitors turn it on by accident all the time.
- The outlet. If the opener's plugged into a GFCI outlet, check whether it tripped.
- The remote battery. Cheap fix, easy to forget.
If none of that helps, give us a call. Please don't keep cycling the opener against a door that won't move. That's how a simple repair turns into a burned-out motor.
How we repair openers
- Disconnect and test the door by hand. If the door is heavy or binds, the opener isn't the real problem, and we'll show you.
- Read the opener's diagnostics. Most openers made in the last 15 years flash an error code that points us in the right direction.
- Repair the part that failed. Sensors, gears and sprockets, logic boards, capacitors, travel modules, belts, chains, trolleys and wall controls.
- Set limits and force, then test the safety reverse. Federal safety rules require openers to reverse when they hit an obstruction. We test that with a board on the floor before we leave.
Repair or replace the opener?
We'll usually recommend repair when the opener is under 10 to 12 years old, parts are still available, and the motor itself is healthy.
We'll talk to you about replacement when:
- It's an older unit with no safety sensors. Anything without them should be replaced, full stop.
- The logic board is discontinued, or costs nearly as much as a new opener
- You're replacing the garage door. In California, a new door can't be connected to an opener without a battery backup (SB 969).
- You want a quieter unit because there's a bedroom over the garage. That's very common in SF and Peninsula homes.
If replacement makes sense, see garage door opener installation.
Opener issues specific to the Bay Area
Power surges and PG&E shutoffs. Outages and the surge when power comes back are a leading cause of fried logic boards and lost remote programming. A plug-in surge protector made for openers is cheap insurance.
Battery backups. Openers sold since 2019 have a backup battery, and those batteries generally need replacing every few years. If yours beeps or chirps periodically, the battery is probably on its way out. We carry replacements for the common models.
Sun on the sensors. On west-facing garages, low afternoon sun can shine straight into a sensor and stop the door from closing. It happens a lot in the inland East Bay and South Bay. Swapping the sensor sides or adding a sun shield fixes it.
Brands we repair
LiftMaster, Chamberlain, Craftsman, Genie, Overhead Door, Linear, Marantec, Sommer, Ryobi and Skylink. That covers both the newer Wi-Fi and myQ models and the older chain drives that just keep running.
Opener repair questions
Why does my garage door open but not close?
Nine times out of ten it's the safety sensors near the floor. If one is bumped out of line, dirty, or getting direct sun, the opener won't close the door. Check that both sensor lights are steady. If they are and it still won't close, the close limit or force setting may need adjusting.
How long do garage door openers last?
Most last around 10 to 15 years. Chain drives tend to outlast belt drives mechanically, but they're louder. A door that's out of balance shortens an opener's life a lot, which is why we always check the springs too.
Can you reprogram my remotes and keypad?
Yes. We'll pair your remotes, keypad and car's built-in HomeLink buttons, and remove old remotes from memory if you've lost one or just moved into the house.
Do you repair openers you didn't install?
Of course. It doesn't matter who installed it or how old it is. If parts exist, we can work on it.
