Frequently asked questions

No. The springs carry almost the entire weight of the door. With one broken, the opener or your arms take that load, and the door can drop fast. Leave it closed, keep the car out of its path, and call us for spring repair.

Standard torsion springs are rated for roughly 10,000 open-and-close cycles, which is about 7 to 10 years for most households. High-cycle springs last considerably longer and are worth it if you use the garage as your main entrance. Read more in our spring lifespan guide.

The most common signs are a loud bang from the garage, a visible gap in the coils of the spring above the door, a door that feels very heavy, and an opener that strains or stops a few inches up.

In most cases, yes. Both springs have done the same number of cycles, so when one breaks the other is usually close behind. Replacing them together keeps the door balanced.

We don't recommend it. Springs store enough tension to cause serious injury, and the job needs proper winding bars. See our spring repair service instead.

Springs, cables, rollers, hinges and openers can almost always be repaired on their own. Replacement starts to make sense when several sections are cracked or bent, the door has been hit, or it keeps failing after repairs. We inspect the whole system and give you both options with prices before any work starts. More on repair and replacement.

Noise usually comes from worn rollers, dry hinges and springs, or loose hardware. A tune-up with lubrication and a roller check fixes most noisy doors. See roller replacement and tune-ups.

Stop using it and unplug the opener. A door that's off track or hanging unevenly usually has a slipped cable or bent track, and forcing it can make the damage worse. Learn more about off-track repair.

Common causes are dead remote batteries, blocked or misaligned safety sensors, a tripped outlet or breaker, a stripped drive gear, or a broken spring the opener can't lift. See our opener repair service.

Usually the safety sensors near the floor are dirty, misaligned or blocked. If cleaning and lining them up doesn't fix it, the close-force setting or the sensors themselves may need service.

Yes. We program remotes, keypads and car-based openers for most major brands, and can replace units that are lost or no longer work. More on remotes and keypads.

Belt-drive openers are the quietest, which suits garages under bedrooms. Chain-drive is durable and budget-friendly, and wall-mount openers free up ceiling space. We'll recommend one for your door size and use.

Yes. We install complete garage doors in steel, carriage-style, modern glass and insulated designs, plus belt-drive, chain-drive and wall-mount openers. See garage door installation.

Most standard installations are finished in a single visit. Custom or specialty doors take longer to order, and we'll give you a timeline before you commit.

Often, yes, as long as matching panels are still available for your door model. If they aren't, we'll show you the best options for a full door. See panel replacement.

If the garage is attached, used as a gym or workshop, or sits under living space, insulation helps keep temperatures steadier and makes the door quieter.

Yes. We repair swing and sliding gates, including hinges, posts, rollers, tracks and latches. See gate repair.

Most often the safety sensors are blocked or misaligned, or the close limit has drifted. A gate that binds partway can also make the operator stop and reverse. See automatic gate repair.

Yes. We install swing and sliding gates and can automate them in the same project. See gate installation.

Estimates for new doors and gates are free. For repairs, the technician explains what failed, what it costs to fix, and what can wait before any work starts.

We take calls and book appointments seven days a week, 7:00 AM to 9:00 PM.

Often, yes. Call early and we'll get the first available technician to you. Same-day availability depends on the schedule and your area.

Yes. See our current coupons, including discounts on garage door, opener and gate repair, and mention the one you want when you book.

Call us, or send a request through our contact page and we'll call you back to confirm a time.

We serve Sonoma County, Napa and Marin from shops in Sebastopol, Napa and Novato, plus Olympia and Seattle in Washington. See the full service area list.

Call the shop closest to you: Sebastopol ((707) 210-0983) for Sonoma County, Napa ((707) 309-6313) for the Napa and Sonoma valleys, Novato ((415) 726-2385) for Marin, Olympia ((360) 761-3852) or Seattle ((206) 222-8951) in Washington.

Our focus is residential garage doors. Call us with the details of your door and we'll let you know if it's a job we can take on.