Garage Door Repair Questions from Lubbock Homeowners

HomeAdvisor puts most garage door repairs at about $150 to $400, with an average around $250. Thumbtack reports a national range of about $235 to $695, with most people paying around $403. These are national figures; the company we refer you to sets its own prices, and the exact cost depends on which part failed.

Broken springs are a frequent repair, because every spring eventually wears out from use. Dirty or misaligned safety sensors are another frequent cause of a door that won't close, and blowing dust makes them worth checking first.

Repair is cheaper when one part failed, such as a spring, cable or sensor. Replacement starts to make sense when several panels are damaged, replacement panels for your model aren't made anymore, or the door is rusted, warped or keeps needing repairs. Angi puts a new installed door at about $754 to $1,707.

A handyman may be fine for simple jobs like replacing weatherstripping or a remote. Springs, cables and bottom brackets are different. DASMA, the door industry's trade group, says spring systems should be repaired only by trained professionals and cables replaced only by a trained technician.

Home Depot sells doors and openers and offers installation in many areas; ask the local store what it offers in Lubbock. You can also get a price from a local garage door company and compare.

Sudden damage from a covered event, such as hail or wind, may be covered after your deductible. A spring or opener that wore out with age generally isn't. The Texas Department of Insurance notes some policies use a percentage deductible, which can be larger than the repair. Ask your agent.

If the door is new, check the paperwork first. Doors, springs and openers can come with manufacturer coverage, and the installer may cover its labor for a period. Contact the installer before paying someone else. If it isn't covered, the price is the same as for any repair of that part.

The door panels can last a long time if they aren't damaged. Moving parts wear out sooner. HomeAdvisor puts torsion springs at about 8 to 15 years and extension springs at about 7 to 12 years, depending on use. Around Lubbock, hail and dust also wear on panels and rollers.

New grinding or popping usually means worn rollers, dry hinges or a spring problem. If the door also moves unevenly or the opener strains, stop using it and have it checked before something breaks.

Pull the emergency release cord, usually red, with the door fully closed, then lift the door by hand. Only do this if the springs are working; a door with a broken spring is very heavy and can drop. When power returns, reconnect the opener as described in its manual.

No door is hail-proof. Thicker steel (a lower gauge number), an insulated core and a textured finish resist and hide dents better than thin single-layer steel. Glass windows are the first thing to break. Ask the company whether a door has had any hail or impact testing.

Possibly. The City of Lubbock says repairs that become extensive or replace a unit fall under remodeling and need a permit, but garage doors aren't named. Ask the company or call Lubbock Building Safety at 806-775-2087. Wolfforth, Shallowater and Slaton have their own building departments, and Shallowater says repairs need a permit too.

One independent local garage door company. South Plains Garage Door is a referral website and doesn't do repairs. We send your request to that company, and it sets the price and schedule and does the work on its own terms.

No. The referral is free to homeowners, and you never pay us. Companies we refer you to may pay us for referrals. You pay only the company, and only if you hire it.