Stuck Garage Door in Calgary: What to Do First

Emergency garage door repair starts with staying safe. What to do when your door is stuck open, stuck closed or a vehicle is trapped.

First, keep people and pets clear of the door opening, and don't stand under a door that is partly open. Stop pressing the button. DASMA warns that serious injury or death may occur, and says to keep people clear of the opening while the door is moving.

Next, look without touching. If you can see a broken spring, a loose cable, or rollers out of the track, leave the door alone and call. Chamberlain says the same signs, or a door that feels extremely heavy or falls quickly, mean it's time to stop and get a professional.

If nothing looks broken, check the simple things. Is the power out? In Calgary, ENMAX lists outages on its map and takes reports at 403-514-6100. FortisAlberta serves Airdrie, Cochrane, Okotoks and Chestermere: 310-WIRE (9473). Check whether the opener lights are flashing, and whether a manual door lock is engaged.

To open a closed door by hand when the opener has no power, use the red emergency release. Chamberlain says to use it only when the door is fully closed, if possible, and never to use the handle to raise or lower the door. Make sure the doorway is clear of people, pets and objects, and undo any manual door lock. Pull the cord or handle (down on most openers, and firmly until it clicks on a wall-mounted one), then lift the door by a safe grip, keeping your fingers away from the sections and hinges. DASMA cautions that the door may unexpectedly begin to open when it is released. If the door feels unusually heavy, won't stay open or slams shut, stop and keep clear.

If the door is stuck open or partway, don't pull the release: with weak or broken springs it may fall rapidly and without warning. Keep people clear and call.

To reconnect afterward, most Chamberlain and LiftMaster openers pick the door up again on the next opener cycle, once the release is reset. The steps vary by model, so follow your manual. Locked out with no power? Some garages have a small keyed exterior release near the top of the door. It disconnects the opener, but it doesn't lift the door.

In winter, a door can freeze to the floor: Clopay, a door maker, says ice or wet snow can freeze around the bottom seal. In an average January, Calgary gets above 0 °C on about 17 days and falls to 0 °C or below on about 30 (Environment Canada 1991–2020 normals), so snow can melt and refreeze. Don't force the door or keep running the opener against it, and don't raise the force setting to get it moving.

When you call, say first if a vehicle is trapped or the door won't close, then ask when the shop can come. If nobody can pick up and you need someone today, also call a garage door company directly. Hours and arrival times vary from shop to shop, so this site can't promise them. Being in a hurry is also when people get overcharged: the Better Business Bureau says not to feel pressured into a quick decision, and to get a written estimate before work starts. See how to avoid garage door scams.

Common jobs

• Door stuck closed with a vehicle inside
• Door stuck open or partway
• Doors that won't move after a power outage
• Broken springs, cables or rollers

Have this ready when you call

• Whether anything or anyone is at risk: a trapped vehicle, or a door that won't close
• Whether the door is open, closed or stuck partway
• What you can see from a safe distance (spring, cable, rollers)
• Whether the power is on
• Your community or town

Common questions