Garage Door Stuck in Boise: What to Do First

Emergency garage door repair starts with safety. What to do in Boise when the door is stuck shut, stuck open, or your car is trapped inside.

Get people and pets away from the opening, and don't walk under a door that is partway up. Stop pressing the button. DASMA warns that serious injury or death may occur, and says to keep people out of the opening while the door moves.

Then look, but don't touch. A snapped spring, a loose cable or rollers out of the track all mean leave the door alone and call. Chamberlain says the same goes for a door that feels extremely heavy or drops quickly.

If nothing looks broken, check the easy things. Is the power out? Idaho Power is the electric utility in the Boise area. Its outage map shows known outages, and if yours isn't on the map after 10 minutes, report it at 1-800-488-6151. On hot, dry, windy days Idaho Power may also turn the power off on purpose to cut wildfire risk; see North and East Boise. Also check whether the opener lights are flashing, and whether the door's manual lock is engaged.

Idaho Power's outage advice includes knowing how to open your garage door by hand. When the door is fully shut and the opener has no power, use the red emergency release cord. Chamberlain says to use it only with the door fully closed if possible, and never to raise or lower the door by the handle. Clear people, pets and things from the doorway, and unlock any manual lock. Pull the cord (straight down on most openers; firmly until it clicks on wall-mounted models), then lift the door with a safe grip, with your fingers clear of the joints between sections. DASMA cautions that a door may start to open on its own once released. If it feels very heavy, won't stay up, or comes down hard, stop and keep clear.

If the door is stuck open or partway, leave the release alone: with weak or broken springs, the door can come down fast and without warning. Keep everyone clear and call.

Once the power is back, most Chamberlain and LiftMaster openers reconnect to the door on the next run after the release is reset. Check your manual, since models differ. If you are locked out with no power, some garages have a small keyed release near the top of the door outside. It frees the door from the opener but doesn't lift it.

Boise winters are mild by northern standards, but the door can still freeze to the floor. Clopay, a door maker, says ice or wet snow can freeze around the bottom seal. In an average Boise January, most days get above freezing and most nights drop to 32 °F or below (NOAA 1991–2020 normals), so slush that melts in the afternoon can refreeze overnight. Don't force the door or keep running the opener into it, and don't turn up the force setting to free it.

When you call, say up front if your car is trapped or the door won't shut, then ask when the shop can get there. If nobody can pick up and you need help today, phone a garage door company directly as well. Hours and arrival times differ from shop to shop, and this site can't promise either. A rush is also when people get overcharged: the Better Business Bureau advises against being pressured into a fast decision and says to get a written estimate before work starts. See how to avoid garage door scams.

Common jobs

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

Have this ready when you call

• Anything at risk: a car stuck inside, or a door that won't shut
• Whether the door is open, shut or stuck partway
• What you can see from a safe distance (spring, cable, rollers)
• Whether the power is on
• Your neighborhood or town

Common questions