How often do you open and close your garage door on an average day? If your garage door gets a regular workout, you can expect it to eventually need repairs.

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Repair costs can be high, but preparing for common issues can help you budget for when something goes wrong.

How Much Does It Cost to Repair a Garage-Door Cable?

When you hit your garage-door opener button, the cables help lift the door. If a cable snaps, your door won't go anywhere when you hit the button. The cost of garage door cable repair, including installation, is between $85 and $200 (CAD 114 and CAD 269), according to HomeGuide.

Sometimes, the cable snaps completely. Other times, it wears and frays to the point of causing issues. Signs of an issue with the cables include the door hanging at an angle or getting stuck partway up or down when you try to open or close it.

Because of the high tension required on the cables, it's best to have a professional install new ones. It can be dangerous to do the work yourself. If you don't get the new cables installed correctly, it could cause the door to fall down. If someone is standing under the door when it falls, it can cause very serious injuries or leave you trapped.

What Is the Cost to Repair a Garage-Door Spring?

Another common repair you might face is replacing the springs. Bob Vila says garage-door spring replacement usually costs between $150 and $350 (CAD 202 and CAD 470). The springs themselves run about $60 to $150 (CAD 81 to CAD 202) for the set. Labor can range from $75 to $250 (CAD 101 to CAD 336) on average, so calling around to get estimates is a good idea.

The springs go above the garage door and counterbalance the garage door's weight to help lift it. Because garage-door springs are under constant pressure, it's obvious when one breaks. You can see the crack or complete break, or you might hear a loud noise when it breaks. The garage door won't open properly if you have a broken spring. Once broken, the springs need to be replaced with new ones.

Garage-door spring replacement is best left to professionals. They use specialty equipment to install the springs correctly. Because they’re under so much pressure, it can be dangerous if you don't know what you're doing.

How Much Is It to Replace a Garage-Door Belt?

You might need to replace a belt if you have a belt-driven garage-door opener. Other garage-door openers are chain-driven or screw-driven models. The cost to replace a garage-door belt is typically between $100 and $200 (CAD 134 and CAD 269). It's a relatively easy repair for a professional to make since it just deals with the garage-door opener.

How Much Does a Garage-Door Motor Cost?

The garage-door opener is the motor of the system. It's what raises and lowers the door so you don't have to manually open it every time. You can expect to pay about $160 (CAD 215) for a single, 1/2 HP  garage-door opener. Most homeowners spend somewhere between $230 and $510 (CAD 309 and CAD 686) in total, including professional installation.

Labor costs for both types come in at around $65 to $90 (CAD 87 to CAD 121) per hour for the installation. If you need to update your electric wiring to accommodate the opener, electricians charge between $50 and $130 (CAD 67 and CAD 175) per hour on average.

More Related Articles:

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• How Much Does It Cost to Replace or Repair a Garage Door Spring?
• A DIY Guide to Replacing Your Garage Door Spring
• How to Open Your Garage Door Manually
• Garage Door Replacement Costs

Professional Vs. DIY Repair Cost

Handling garage door repairs yourself saves you on the labor part of the repair cost. However, many repairs aren't suitable for homeowners who aren't familiar with all the moving parts. Many of the parts, including the springs and cables, require safety precautions to replace them correctly. The electrical components of the garage-door opener also make it potentially dangerous as a DIY project.

Also, consider how much time it'll take you to complete the job versus a professional. While an inexperienced homeowner might struggle for hours, a door repair company can complete the repairs quickly. Many repairs require more than one person, so you'll need a helper if you do it yourself.

Basic maintenance is something you can safely do on your own. These tasks can help keep your garage door working well and reduce the need for repairs:

• Inspecting the cables and springs
• Cleaning the rollers and tracks
• Lubricating the rollers
• Tightening hardware
• Testing the auto-reverse feature on your garage door

Tips for Choosing a Repair Company

Choosing a reputable repair company ensures your garage door is repaired quickly and correctly. Use these tips to help find a repair company to suit your needs:

• Check experience. Verify that the company has been in business for several years and has extensive experience in the type of repairs you need.
• Evaluate certifications. Companies can have different certifications and affiliations that can indicate quality. Examples include membership in the International Door Association, being a certified or an authorized dealer for a certain brand or being in local organizations.
• Ask for insurance certificates. Contractors can give you a certificate of insurance to prove that they have liability and worker's compensation insurance.
• Compare costs. Get quotes from multiple companies. Beware of companies that are significantly lower than other quotes as this could indicate inferior work.
• Look at reviews. Read about past performance with online reviews about the company. Look for repeated complaints about the same issues.
• Check services. Verify that the company serves your area and that they do garage door repairs of all types.