Garage door won’t open? Start here.

Five quick checks (safe for anyone)

• Power. Is the opener’s light on? Check the outlet on the ceiling and the breaker or GFCI outlet it is plugged into.
• Lock mode. Many wall buttons have a lock or vacation switch that disables remotes. Look for a lock icon or a blinking light.
• Remote battery. If the wall button works but the remote doesn’t, replace the remote’s battery.
• Safety sensors. The two small eyes near the floor must face each other with steady lights. Wipe the lenses and straighten the brackets.
• Manual lock. Some doors have a slide bolt or handle lock on the inside. Make sure it is open.

Stop here and call if: you heard a loud bang, the door is crooked or off its track, a cable is hanging loose, or the door feels very heavy. Those are spring and cable problems, and forcing the door can make it fall.

Loud bang, door won’t lift

Likely cause: A torsion spring has almost certainly snapped. Springs hold the door’s weight (often 150–250 lb); the opener is not built to lift it alone.

What to do now: Leave the door closed. Pull the red emergency release only if the door is fully down. Don’t keep pressing the opener button.

Typical cost: $275 – $450. How we fix it.

Door is crooked or off its track

Likely cause: A roller has left the track, usually after the door met an obstacle or a cable frayed and let one side drop.

What to do now: Stop using the door and keep cars and kids clear. A crooked door can fall. Unplug the opener.

Typical cost: $150 – $300. How we fix it.

Closes, then goes back up

Likely cause: Usually the safety sensors near the floor are out of alignment, dirty, or in direct sun. Sometimes it’s the close-force setting.

What to do now: Wipe both sensor lenses and check that the little LEDs are both lit steady. If one blinks, the beams are misaligned.

Typical cost: $0 – $150. How we fix it.

Grinding, squealing, or rattling

Likely cause: Worn steel rollers, dry hinges, or loose hardware. Noise is often the first warning before a bigger failure.

What to do now: Safe to use for now. Avoid spraying grease on the tracks; that collects grit.

Typical cost: $99 – $275. How we fix it.

Opener hums but nothing moves

Likely cause: A stripped drive gear, a failed capacitor, or a door that’s too heavy because a spring is weak.

What to do now: Unplug the opener. Check if the door feels very heavy by hand (fully closed, release pulled).

Typical cost: $120 – $250. How we fix it.

Stuck open at night

Likely cause: Anything from a spring or cable failure to a dead opener. Either way, your home is open.

What to do now: Don’t try to force it down. Call us; this is what our 24/7 line is for.

Typical cost: Quoted by phone. How we fix it.

Still stuck?

Call or text (910) 760-1466, day or night. Send a photo or short video of the door and the opener if you can. We serve Wake Forest, Rolesville, Franklinton and Youngsville, Raleigh and the rest of the Triangle. You can also try the Door Doctor on our home page.