Motors & controls
Garage door opener repair and new installs
- Sensors aligned and tested
- Force and travel set
- Remotes and keypads synced
Clicking without movement, a door that reverses for no reason, a remote that works only from the curb: each one points to a different fault. Garage door opener repair begins by separating the motor from the door. With the opener disconnected, the tech lifts by hand; if the door is heavy or binding, the real problem is a spring or track, and replacing the motor would just hide it.
When the door itself is healthy, attention shifts to the unit: the drive gear, the trolley, the logic board, the photo eyes and the wiring between them. Some fixes are a single part. Other units are old enough that a new opener is the better spend. If the issue is only a lost remote or keypad code, see remote and keypad programming. Putting in a new opener? Check the current offers before you book.
Opener acting up?
Describe the sound and what the door does. Lines are staffed 24/7.
Opener services
Repairs come first when the unit is worth saving. When it isn't, we help pick a replacement that fits the ceiling, the door weight and how you use the garage.
Drive and gear repair
A motor that runs while the door sits still often has a stripped plastic gear or a slipped belt or chain. Those can usually be replaced without changing the whole opener.
Sensor and wiring fixes
Photo eyes knocked out of line by a bike or a broom, corroded terminals and chewed wires are found and corrected, then the reversing test is run.
Logic board and controls
Dead wall buttons, a blinking light code or random operation can trace to the circuit board or the wall control. We test before swapping anything.
New opener installation
Old unit removed, new one mounted and wired, rail length set, travel limits and force adjusted, and every remote and keypad paired to it.
Choosing the right drive type
Chain drive
Strong and simple, with a metal chain pulling the trolley along the rail. It's louder than other types, which matters less in a detached garage than in one under a bedroom.
Belt drive
Works like a chain unit but uses a reinforced rubber belt, so it runs noticeably quieter. A common pick for attached garages and townhouses, where motor noise carries into the rooms next door.
Wall-mount (jackshaft)
Bolted to the wall next to the opening, this type drives the spring shaft itself and leaves the ceiling clear. Useful for low-headroom garages, high-lift tracks or storage racks overhead. It needs a torsion spring system to work.
Opener trouble signs
Match what you're seeing to the likely cause before you call.
- Door closes, then reversesSensors out of alignment, something in the path, or the close force set too low.
- Light blinks, door won't closeUsually a photo-eye fault; check for dirt or a bumped bracket.
- Motor hums, door stays putStripped drive gear, failed capacitor, or a door too heavy to lift.
- Remote range keeps shrinkingWeak battery, interference, or an aging receiver on the board.
- Grinding or rattling from the unitLoose chain, worn sprocket or failing motor bearings.
Safety first. Since 1993, federal rules have required residential openers to include entrapment protection, which on most units means a pair of photo eyes near the floor. Never bypass or tape over them. Once a month, lay a roll of paper towels in the doorway and press close: the door should reverse on contact or before. If it doesn't, stop using the opener.
Why call us for an opener
Door checked before the motor
Many opener complaints are really door problems. Spring balance gets tested first, which avoids buying a motor that strains from the start.
Gate and garage openers both
Driveway gate operators and garage openers are both part of what we do, and the same visit can set up remotes to run each.
Someone answers 24/7
An opener that quits with the door open leaves the house exposed. Call any time and tell us what happened.
Fit for tight garages
Low ceilings and overhead storage are common here. We'll explain when a wall-mount unit or a shorter rail suits the space better.
