Commercial garage door repair
A door that won't open stops trucks, and a door that won't close is a security problem. Tell us what's wrong and we'll connect you with a local company that repairs commercial doors.
Request service- Free to use: the repair company pays us, not you
- Independent local companies that work on commercial doors and docks
- You get the quote directly from the company doing the work
Problems a repair company can fix
- Broken springs. The door feels extremely heavy or won't lift at all. Springs are under high tension and are not a do-it-yourself job.
- Door off its tracks. Often caused by a forklift strike or a snapped cable.
- Damaged panels or sections. Individual sections can usually be replaced without replacing the whole door.
- Opener or operator faults. The motor hums, reverses, or does nothing.
- Safety sensor and edge faults. The door refuses to close or reverses on its own.
- Worn rollers, hinges and cables. Noisy, jerky or uneven travel.
What to have ready
You'll get a faster, more accurate quote if you can share:
- The door type (sectional, rolling steel, high-speed) and rough size.
- What the door is doing, and whether it is stuck open or closed.
- Whether the opening is needed for shipping today.
- The make of the door or operator, if there is a label.
Repair or replace?
Most single failures, such as a spring, cable, roller or one damaged section, are repairs. Replacement starts to make sense when the door is repeatedly failing, parts are no longer made, or several sections are damaged. See our repair or replace guide.
Why commercial doors fail
A commercial door works much harder than a home garage door. A dock door at a busy warehouse can open and close dozens of times a shift, in a building where forklifts, pallets and trailers pass within inches of it. Three things cause most failures:
- Wear. Springs, cables, rollers and hinges are consumable parts. Each has a working life measured in open-and-close cycles, and a busy door uses that life up quickly.
- Impact. A forklift mast, a pallet or a backing trailer hits the door or its track. Impact damage often looks minor and then causes a cable or roller to fail days later.
- Neglect. Dry bearings, loose fasteners and frayed cables give warning for weeks before they fail. Without regular inspection nobody sees the warning.
What the symptom usually means
| What you see | Likely cause |
|---|---|
| Door won't lift, or feels extremely heavy | Broken spring |
| Door hangs crooked or jams part-way | Snapped or slipped cable, or a roller out of the track |
| Door starts to close, then reverses | Photo eye blocked or misaligned, or a faulty reversing edge |
| Motor runs but the door doesn't move | Disengaged or broken drive: chain, belt, coupling or clutch |
| Loud bang, then the door stops working | Spring break; less often a cable |
| Grinding, scraping or squealing | Worn rollers or bearings, or a bent track |
| Daylight around a closed door | Worn seals, a bent bottom section, or a door out of adjustment |
This is a guide, not a diagnosis. A technician will confirm the cause on site.
What a repair visit involves
- Make it safe. The technician secures the door so it can't drop or move while being worked on.
- Find the cause, not only the broken part. A snapped cable, for example, is often the result of a worn drum or a door that was already out of balance.
- Quote before repairing. You should get a price for the repair, and for any related parts that are close to failing, before work starts.
- Repair and rebalance. After parts are replaced the door is balanced so that it stays put when lifted half-way by hand. A balanced door puts far less strain on its operator.
- Test the safety devices. Photo eyes, the reversing edge and the operator's limits are checked before the door goes back into service.
How to choose a repair company
- Commercial experience. Commercial doors use heavier springs and different operators from home doors. Ask how much of the company's work is commercial.
- Insurance and licensing. Ask for a certificate of insurance. Some states and cities also require a contractor's license for this work.
- Parts on the truck. A company that stocks common commercial springs, cables and rollers can often finish in one visit.
- A written quote and warranty. Get the price, and the warranty on parts and labor, in writing.
- Planned maintenance. A company that offers scheduled maintenance has a reason to fix problems properly the first time.
Commercial garage door repair: common questions
How long does a commercial garage door repair take?
Many common repairs, such as a spring, cable or roller replacement, are done in one visit of an hour or two once the technician is on site. Jobs that need a section, a special spring or an operator ordered in take longer, and the technician will usually make the door safe or usable in the meantime.
Can I keep using a door with a broken spring?
No. Without the spring the operator or your staff are lifting the full weight of the door, which can burn out the operator or cause the door to drop. Take the door out of use until it is repaired.
Should both springs be replaced if only one broke?
Usually yes. Springs on the same door have done the same number of cycles, so the second is close to the end of its life too. Replacing both in one visit avoids paying for a second call shortly afterwards.
Is it safe for our maintenance staff to repair the door?
Lubrication, cleaning tracks and realigning photo eyes are reasonable in-house jobs. Springs and cables are under high tension and cause serious injuries; leave those to a trained door technician.
How often should a commercial door be serviced?
Most manufacturers recommend at least once a year. Doors that cycle many times a day, such as busy dock doors, are commonly serviced two to four times a year.
Do you repair the doors yourselves?
No. Commercial Door Repair Now connects you with an independent local repair company, which gives you the quote and does the work.
Need a door or dock fixed?
Use the form at the top of this page.