Emergency Repair is one part of our garage door repair coverage in California. For the full picture — symptoms, costs, and when to repair vs. replace — start with the complete Garage Door Repair guide, or browse every garage door repair service we offer.
An emergency garage door call usually starts the same way: a snapped spring at 6 a.m., a car trapped inside before the morning commute, or a door stuck halfway open exposing your home. We run a true daily dispatch — not a voicemail that gets picked up Monday morning — and our average response time in cities where we keep a local crew is 78 minutes from your call to a tech on your driveway.
Emergency calls are flat-rate, not hourly. You'll have a quoted price before the truck rolls, and we charge no after-hours surcharge for the most common emergencies (broken springs, off-track doors, lock-outs). Our trucks are stocked for the failure modes that cause emergencies — torsion springs in five common sizes, replacement cables in two diameters, roller stems, and emergency-release re-set kits — so the typical emergency call results in a same-visit fix.
We also handle commercial emergencies. If you run a fleet bay or storefront roll-up that has to be operational before opening, we'll dispatch immediately and prioritize a temporary safe-state (door secured and openable) over a perfect repair if the parts aren't on the truck.
Signs you need emergency repair
Door stuck open with no power
A power outage with the door open is an emergency because the home is exposed. Battery-backup-equipped openers handle this automatically; older units need a manual release and lock-down.
Car trapped inside
Spring or cable failure usually leaves the door stuck closed with the vehicle inside. Lifting manually is dangerous on an unbalanced door — call before attempting.
Off-track doors can fall completely if you continue to operate the opener. Stop using the door immediately and call for emergency response.
Opener not responding, door closed
If your only way out is the garage and the opener won't respond, we'll dispatch immediately rather than booking a routine appointment.
Visible damage from impact
Backed-into doors with bent panels or twisted tracks can fail catastrophically. Photograph the damage and call before attempting any further use.
Common causes & what we fix
Spring failure
By far the most common emergency cause — cycle fatigue brings springs to end-of-life on a fairly predictable schedule, but the failure itself is sudden.
Cable snap or drum slip
Lift cables fray and snap from corrosion, mis-spooling, or impact. A cable snap usually leaves the door off-track on one side.
Opener motor or gear failure
Older openers with worn nylon gears strip suddenly, leaving the door stuck mid-travel or non-responsive.
Track impact damage
Vehicles backing into the door or bumping the track frame can twist the rails enough that the door binds or jumps the track on the next cycle.
Logic board failure
Surge damage to opener electronics can leave the door unresponsive to remotes and wall consoles. The motor itself may still be fine — only the brain needs replacing.
Our process
1
Call or schedule online. Book your emergency repair in California online or by phone and pick a 2-hour window. We confirm in under five minutes with the assigned tech's name and photo.
2
On-site diagnosis. On arrival we diagnose the emergency repair on-site — free for most repairs, $39 on minor service calls (waived if you proceed). You see the issue and the fix before we start.
3
Flat-rate quote. You get a flat-rate emergency repair quote in writing, good for 30 days — no hourly creep and no add-ons after the fact.
4
Same-visit fix. Most emergency repair work finishes the same visit: our trucks carry the common springs, cables, rollers, and opener boards, so a second trip is rare.
How much does emergency repair cost in California?
Emergency Repair the United States starts at Anytime, every emergency repair quote is flat-rate and presented in writing before work begins — no surprise add-ons, no hourly creep. Seniors (65+) and military save 10% on labor, and financing covers projects over $1,500 at 0% APR for 12 months, with no prepayment penalty.
Why homeowners in California choose us for emergency repair
We've been a trusted choice since 1974 — over 50 years of family-owned garage door service across California. Our techs are CSLB-licensed (#1098234), background-checked, and complete an internal 12-week training program before rolling on calls alone.
Our emergency repair carries a 10-year workmanship guarantee — separate from any manufacturer warranty on the parts themselves. If the emergency repair we performed fails because of how we did it, we come back and fix it free for a full decade. Springs rated for 30,000 cycles carry a lifetime warranty for the original homeowner, and parts and accessories carry standard 1–5 year warranties by item.
We quote emergency repair on honest scope: no unnecessary up-sell, salaried (never commissioned) technicians, and a transparent diagnostic so you see exactly what we see — including the parts still in good shape. If a repair is the right call we say so; if replacement is the better long-term economics, we say that. The flat-rate emergency repair quote is written and good for 30 days.
Areas we serve for emergency repair
We provide emergency repair throughout California, with fast coverage in every major California metro.
Reach times for emergency repair vary by traffic and time of day, so we quote an accurate ETA when you call — and the dispatch line routes straight to an on-call technician, no voicemail in between.
Frequently asked about emergency repair
Top questions homeowners searching for Emergency Repair near me ask us:
How quickly can you respond?
Our average is 78 minutes from call to on-site nationwide. Dense-coverage cities often see sub-60-minute response; outlying areas may take 90 minutes during peak hours.
Do you charge extra for after-hours?
For the most common emergencies — broken springs, snapped cables, off-track doors — there's no after-hours premium. Specialty work outside standard hours (new opener install, custom door order) carries a modest surcharge.
Can you fix it in one visit?
Roughly 96% of emergency calls are resolved on the first visit. Trucks carry the most common parts. Specialty parts (commercial high-cycle springs, discontinued opener boards) may need a follow-up dispatch.
Is the door safe to use after a temporary fix?
If we have to make a temporary fix (no part on the truck), we'll explicitly tell you whether the door is safe to operate. In most cases we secure the door closed until parts arrive.
Do you handle commercial emergencies?
Yes — rolling steel, sectional commercial, and fire-rated commercial doors. We prioritize commercial calls during business hours and offer service contracts with even faster guaranteed response.