How do I get my car out if the garage door will not open?

If the springs are intact, pulling the emergency release with the door closed lets you lift it manually. If the door is heavy or a spring is broken, do not lift it. Call us and use another exit.

My opener runs but the door does not move. Why?

The carriage is usually disconnected from the trolley, or the drive gear has stripped. Both are quick to identify on site.

Can a frozen garage door be forced open?

Forcing it tears the bottom seal and can bend the lowest section. Clearing the ice at the seal line is the correct fix.

Garage Door Won't Open

A door that will not open is usually a broken spring, a disconnected carriage or an opener that lost power.

Call 440-478-5350 Request Service

The first thing to determine is whether the opener is trying and failing, or not responding at all. That single observation separates a counterbalance problem from an electrical one.

If the opener runs and the door stays put, the carriage is disconnected or a spring has broken. If nothing happens at all, start with power, the wall control and the remote.

What usually causes it

Broken torsion spring leaving the door too heavy to lift
Emergency release cord pulled, disconnecting the carriage
No power at the opener outlet after a storm or tripped GFCI
Frozen bottom seal bonded to the concrete slab
Door jammed in a bent track section
Failed opener gear, capacitor or logic board

What is safe to check yourself

Confirm the opener has power and its light responds
Look for a hanging emergency release cord and a carriage that is disengaged
Check the springs above the door for a visible gap
In winter, look for ice sealing the bottom of the door to the floor
Do not force or pry a frozen or jammed door

Stop and call a technician if

The door is far too heavy to lift or will not stay up
A spring is visibly broken
The opener grinds, hums or trips the breaker
Your vehicle is trapped and you need service scheduled

Garage door springs and cables hold enough stored energy to cause serious injury. We do not publish repair steps for those components — call 440-478-5350.

How we fix it

Garage Door RepairSprings, cables, rollers, hinges, tracks, openers and hardware — inspected, diagnosed and repaired by a technician who works on residential garage doors every day.

Frequently asked questions

How do I get my car out if the garage door will not open?: If the springs are intact, pulling the emergency release with the door closed lets you lift it manually. If the door is heavy or a spring is broken, do not lift it. Call us and use another exit.
My opener runs but the door does not move. Why?: The carriage is usually disconnected from the trolley, or the drive gear has stripped. Both are quick to identify on site.
Can a frozen garage door be forced open?: Forcing it tears the bottom seal and can bend the lowest section. Clearing the ice at the seal line is the correct fix.