Garage Door Questions and Answers
Each question our customers ask has its own page with a full answer. If yours is not here, call (916) 838-8182.
Pick a topic below. Each answer has its own page, and each page links to the service or guide where the topic is covered in more depth.
- Emergency and same-day repair
- Springs
- Openers, remotes and keypads
- Safety sensors and safety
- Tracks, cables, rollers and hardware
- Doors and panels
- Noise, lubrication and maintenance
- Weather, seals and insulation
- New doors and installation
- Cost and estimates
- Company, service area and scheduling
- Property managers and landlords
- Around the garage
Emergency and same-day repair
- Do you offer same-day garage door repair?
- How quickly can a technician get to me?
- What counts as an emergency garage door repair?
- Do you repair garage doors at night or on weekends?
- How do I secure my garage if the door won't close?
Springs
- Can I replace a garage door spring myself?
- Can I adjust garage door spring tension myself?
- What is the difference between torsion and extension springs?
- Should I convert my old extension springs to torsion springs?
- How long do garage door springs last?
- Why did my garage door spring break so soon?
- Should I replace one garage door spring or both?
- Can I use or close my garage door with a broken spring?
- How can I tell if a garage door spring is broken?
- How do I know my garage door springs are weak or about to break?
- Can a broken spring stop a garage door from opening?
- Are high-cycle garage door springs worth the extra cost?
- What is the difference between standard and high-cycle garage door springs?
- How do I know if my garage door has high-cycle springs?
- Can any garage door use high-cycle springs?
- Why does a heavy garage door need different springs?
- How long does a garage door spring replacement take?
- Does cold weather mean my garage door needs new springs?
- Can a misadjusted spring damage my garage door opener?
- Do you replace broken torsion and extension springs?
Openers, remotes and keypads
- Is a belt drive garage door opener better than a chain drive?
- Can I switch my chain drive opener to a belt drive?
- Can I fix my garage door opener myself?
- Should I repair my garage door opener or replace it?
- How do I know if my garage door opener needs repair?
- Why does my garage door opener hum but the door won't move?
- Why isn't my garage door remote working?
- How do I program a garage door remote?
- Which garage door opener brands do you service?
- Are Craftsman garage door openers compatible with all garage doors?
- How often should a garage door opener be serviced?
- Can an older garage door opener be upgraded with smart features?
- Are parts still available for older garage door openers?
- Are all garage door opener arms the same?
- Can I replace a garage door opener arm myself?
- Can I install a garage door opener myself?
- How long does garage door opener installation take?
- What does professional garage door opener installation include?
- Can I reuse the rail, keypad or remotes from my old opener?
- How do I choose the right garage door opener?
- What size garage door opener does a large door need?
- Why did my garage door opener stop working after a power outage?
- Should I get a garage door opener with battery backup?
- Will a new opener make my garage door quieter?
- Can I keep my garage door when replacing the opener?
- Why does my garage door open by itself?
- Why won't my garage door close all the way?
- Will a garage door keypad work with my current opener?
- Can I set more than one code on a garage door keypad?
- Is a garage door keypad secure?
Safety sensors and safety
- Why does my garage door go back up before it touches the ground?
- Why won't my garage door close in the afternoon?
- My garage door won't close and a sensor light is blinking. What do I do?
- Can I install garage door safety sensors myself?
- Is it okay to use a garage door opener without safety sensors?
- Is it safe to fix a broken garage door myself?
- Why does my garage door keep breaking after a handyman or DIY repair?
- Is it safe to open a garage door manually?
- Will opening a garage door manually damage it or void the warranty?
- What if the garage door release cord is stuck or hard to reach?
- Can I manually lock my garage door if the opener is broken?
- Is a noisy garage door dangerous to keep using?
- Can a garage door tune-up improve safety?
Tracks, cables, rollers and hardware
- Can I repair or replace a garage door cable myself?
- How long do garage door cables last?
- Do both garage door cables need to be replaced at once?
- What is the difference between garage door cable repair and replacement?
- Can I put my garage door back on the track myself?
- Is it safe to use a garage door that's off track?
- Does an off-track garage door mean I need a new door?
- Do you replace the whole garage door track?
- Are garage door struts universal?
- How many struts does a garage door need?
- Can I install a garage door strut myself?
- When do I need to replace my garage door trolley?
- What types of garage door trolleys are there?
- Can I replace a garage door hinge myself?
- Do I need to replace all the garage door hinges?
- My detached garage settled and the door sticks. Can that be fixed?
- How do I move a garage door that's stuck halfway?
Doors and panels
- Can you replace one damaged garage door panel instead of the whole door?
- Is an old garage door worth repairing?
- Should I repair or replace my garage door?
- Can you repair a custom or old wood garage door?
- How do you fix a swollen wood garage door that sticks?
- Do you repair one-piece tilt-up garage doors?
- Can you work on barn-style or carriage house garage doors?
- Can you match the hardware on a carriage-style or custom garage door?
- Do you repair barn, shop and farm doors?
- Can you repair a tall RV garage door?
- Can you fix a golf cart garage door?
- Do you repair commercial garage doors?
- Which garage door brands do you repair?
- Is my garage door ruined if a car hit it?
- My garage door rattles in the wind. Is that a problem?
Noise, lubrication and maintenance
- Is WD-40 a good garage door lubricant?
- What lubricant should I use on my garage door?
- How often should I lubricate my garage door?
- Should I lubricate the garage door tracks?
- Can I lubricate my garage door myself?
- Does lubrication actually reduce garage door noise?
- What if my garage door is still noisy after lubrication?
- What if I put lubricant on the wrong garage door part?
- How often should a garage door be serviced?
- What is the difference between a garage door tune-up and a repair?
- Will a tune-up fix a garage door that won't open?
- How do I check and balance my garage door?
- Why is my garage door making noise?
- Can I fix a noisy garage door myself?
- Should I repair or replace a noisy garage door?
- What does a loud bang from my garage door mean?
- Why does my garage door screech when it opens?
- Does cold weather make garage doors noisier?
- How can I quiet a garage door with a bedroom above it?
- How do I keep dust, debris and pine needles from jamming my garage door?
- Will new hinges make my garage door quieter?
- How do I maintain my garage door trolley?
Weather, seals and insulation
- How can I tell if my garage door is insulated?
- Can I insulate my existing garage door instead of replacing it?
- Is an insulated garage door worth it in a hot garage?
- Are insulated garage doors harder to maintain?
- Is a cracked garage door bottom seal worth fixing?
- How do I stop water from running under my garage door?
- Do you replace garage door weatherstripping and trim?
New doors and installation
- Do you install new garage doors or only repair them?
- How long does a garage door installation take?
- Do you remove and haul away the old garage door?
- Can I keep my existing opener with a new garage door?
- Which garage door brands do you install?
- My house is new. Should I call the builder or a garage door company?
Cost and estimates
- What does a garage door repair visit cost?
- How much does garage door spring replacement cost?
- How much does garage door opener repair cost?
- How much does garage door cable replacement cost?
- How much does it cost to fix a garage door that won't open?
- How much does emergency garage door repair cost?
- Are garage door estimates free?
Company, service area and scheduling
- What areas do you serve?
- Where is 1A Garage Doors located?
- Is 1A Garage Doors licensed and insured?
- Can you service multiple garage doors in one visit?
- Can you finish a garage door repair in one trip?
- What information should I have ready before a garage door service call?
Property managers and landlords
- Do you work with property managers and bill the management company?
- Can a property manager authorize a garage door repair and arrange access?
- Who should call and pay when a tenant's or leased shop's garage door breaks?
Around the garage
- Can I install a garage ceiling fan myself?
- How do I maintain a garage ceiling fan?
- Can I use my garage while a floor crack is being repaired?
- Will a repaired garage floor crack come back?
Not listed? Call (916) 838-8182 and ask.
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Why US?
Highly rated garage door experts
- Warranty on parts and labor
Repairs and installations carry a warranty on parts and labor.
- Rated 4.9/5 from 1,017 reviews
Read what local homeowners say on our reviews page.
- Written price before work starts
You approve the price before any repair begins.
- Major door and opener brands
Clopay, Amarr, Raynor, Wayne Dalton, LiftMaster, Chamberlain and Genie.
- Licensed and insured installers
Licensed, bonded and insured.
Meet the Team
Licensed garage door technicians
At 1A Garage Doors, excellence is at the core of everything we do. Specializing in garage door installation, repair, tuneups and more.
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