Garage door questions
My garage door won't open — what's the most likely cause?
A broken torsion spring, nine times out of ten. If the door is very heavy to lift by hand, or you heard a loud bang from the garage recently, that's almost certainly it. The motor isn't broken — it simply can't lift a door that has lost its counterbalance.
Can I replace a garage door spring myself?
Strongly advised against, and this isn't sales talk. A torsion spring holds enough stored energy to lift a door weighing 80 to 150 kilos, and it holds that energy whether the door is up or down. Releasing it without the right winding bars is how people lose fingers. The part is cheap; the technique is what you're paying for.
Does garage door work need a licence in Queensland?
Not for repairs. Garage door repair and servicing aren't classed as building work under the QBCC, so no licence is required for springs, cables, motors, tracks or panels. Installation that cuts a new opening or alters the structure is building work and does need a licensed contractor. The line runs through the opening, not the door.
Why do Gold Coast doors seem to fail faster?
Salt. Within a few kilometres of the water it gets into cables, springs, hinges and roller tracks, and corroded steel fatigues faster. Cables are the ones to watch — they fray from the inside and let go without much warning. A door within sight of the beach is worth servicing more often than the manual suggests.
Does my garage door need to be wind rated?
The Gold Coast sits in wind Region B under AS/NZS 1170.2 — higher design wind speeds than most of inland Australia, though not the cyclonic regions further north. The mandatory wind-rating requirements in the building code apply to Regions C and D. That said, a garage door is the largest opening in most houses, so if it fails in a storm the building pressurises and the roof takes the load. Worth specifying a door suited to the site rather than the cheapest panel available.
How much does a garage door repair cost?
Most repairs land between $150 and $600. A service call is usually $90 to $180 and is normally credited against the work. Springs and cables sit in the middle of that range; motors vary widely depending on whether the board can be repaired or the unit replaced.
How long does a repair take?
Most spring, cable and roller jobs are done in under two hours on the first visit. Panel replacement and colour-matched sections usually need parts ordered, so that's a second visit.
The door closes then immediately reopens — what is that?
Almost always the safety sensors. They sit a few centimetres off the floor either side of the opening, and if they're misaligned, dirty or blocked the opener reverses as a safety measure. Often a two-minute fix, and worth checking before you call anyone.
