We get this call every day in Houston, Conroe, Katy, Cypress, and the surrounding areas. If the door will not move, you are stressed, and you are not sure what to do next, use this guide to decide if you need same-day help.
What Qualifies as an Emergency Repair?
If normal use is blocked, you have an emergency. The big three reasons that qualify as an emergency garage door repair are:
- Your garage door is stuck open. Your home is not secure, your belongings are exposed, and pets can wander.
- Your garage door is stuck closed. A broken spring or cable often traps your vehicle. If you cannot get to work, school, or a doctor, that is urgent.
- Your garage door is crooked or hanging. The door is off level or off the track. That is a safety risk and can get worse fast.
Other situations that count as emergencies:
- Door slams when you try to close it
- Top panel cracking or bowing when you press the remote
- Frayed or broken cable visible on one side
- Door starts down, moves 6 inches, then reverses repeatedly
- Opener smokes, smells burnt, or the light flashes a fault code after a storm
If any of those sound familiar, stop using the opener and call a pro.
Is a Broken Garage Door an Emergency?
If it prevents safe opening or closing, or leaves the home exposed, yes. Around 80 percent of what my team handles on a busy day falls into that bucket. A door that limps along today can become a pricey mess tomorrow if you keep hitting the button.
What To Do If a Garage Door Breaks?
Before you do anything else, take half a minute and run through this 40 second broken garage door triage.
- Look at the photo eyes near the floor. Make sure they are aligned, clean, and not blocked.
- Listen. Grinding, popping, or screeching means stop.
- Check cables and springs. If you see a cable dangling or a spring with a visible gap, do not operate the door.
- Confirm power. If the opener is dead after a thunderstorm, check the GFCI outlet and the breaker.
- If any item looks off, unplug the opener, and step away from the door.
Do and Do Not During an Emergency
Do:
- Keep kids and pets away from a crooked or stuck door
- Unplug the opener if the door binds or reverses
- Close the garage entry door to the house for security if the big door is stuck open
- Call for same-day help or after-hours support if needed
Do Not:
- Do not keep pressing the remote. You can crease the top section or burn up the opener.
- Do not pull the red release cord when the door is up. If a spring is broken, the door can drop like a guillotine.
- Do not try to force a door that is off the track back into the track. That can twist sections and explode rollers.
How To Open The Door During a Power Failure?
Power out, door down, and you need to leave. Here is the safe way.
- Make sure the door is fully down.
- Pull the red emergency release cord straight down to disengage the opener.
- Lift the door by hand. It should move smoothly.
- If the door feels extremely heavy or binds, stop, and resecure the opening.
You do not have to cut power to disengage the trolley, but I like to unplug the opener when people are troubleshooting. It prevents accidental operation while you are near the door.
Why You Should Not Disengage a Door That Is Stuck Up?
If a spring is broken and you pull the red cord while the door is in the up position, the full weight transfers to you and gravity. That door can slam down hard. When my team trains new techs, we teach them to clamp the door off before any release in the up position. Homeowners should not attempt that. If the door is up and misbehaving, leave it engaged, secure the entry to the house, and call a pro.
Common Emergency Garage Door Repair Scenarios in Houston
After a storm, the opener will not respond
Reset the GFCI, confirm power at the outlet, try the wall button. If the head unit is still dead, the control board may be fried. Unplug the opener, and schedule service.
Door starts down, jerks, then shoots back up
Check sensor alignment and obstructions. If sensors look good, stop using the opener. The door may be binding, which can crack the top panel or the opener rail.
Door is crooked, one side higher than the other
That usually means a broken or frayed cable. Do not touch it. A crooked, loaded door can rip hardware out of the wall if you keep cycling the opener.
Detached garage, wind pushed the door out or in
Secure the opening, keep vehicles clear, and schedule a replacement or a wind-rated upgrade if your area requires it.
Emergency Cost Saver
Most of the expensive emergency jobs I see started as a small problem that someone tried to power through. If your door is noisy, jerky, or heavy by hand, it is asking for help. Stop. A quick tune-up today usually costs less than a panel replacement later.
Prevent The Next Emergency
- Annual professional tune-up. We balance springs, set cables, tighten hardware, and dial in opener force and travel.
- Monthly homeowner check. Hit the button, stand back, and listen. Smooth and quiet is the goal.
- Upgrade out of builder grade. Thin pan doors, cheap rollers, and light-duty springs wear fast in Houston heat and humidity. A steel-back, polyurethane door with quality hardware runs smoother, lasts longer, and keeps your opener from overworking.
Quick Answers to Common Emergency Questions
What qualifies as an emergency repair?
Stuck open, stuck closed, crooked, or unsafe operation. If normal use is blocked, it is urgent.
Is a broken garage door an emergency?
If it prevents safe operation or leaves the home exposed, yes.
How to open the door during a power failure?
Only if the door is down. Pull the red cord to disengage, lift by hand. If it is heavy, stop. Why will the door not work after power comes back The trolley may be disengaged, the GFCI may be tripped, or a surge may have fried the control board.
Should I try to force a crooked door closed?
No. Unplug the opener, keep clear, and call a pro.