Straight answers,
before you call.

Everything we get asked

The questions that come up most.

If what you want to know isn't here, send it with the request form and Howard will answer it when he calls back.

What are your hours?

Helmuth Garage Door Co. works Monday to Saturday, 8 AM to 5 PM, and is closed on Sunday. Call (217) 273-1497 during those hours, or send the request form on the website at any time with what the door is doing and Howard will get back to you.

Can I get same-day service?

Often, yes. A lot of Helmuth Garage Door Co.'s reviews describe a broken spring or a stuck door fixed the same day or the next morning. It depends on how many jobs are already booked that day, so the sooner your request comes in, the better the chance.

What does it cost to replace a broken garage door spring?

It depends on the door: how heavy it is, how tall the opening is, and whether it runs on torsion springs above the door or extension springs along the tracks. Rather than guess a number that changes once he sees it, Howard prices the job for free and you hear the figure before any work starts.

Can I replace a garage door spring myself?

This is the one repair worth leaving alone. A torsion spring holds enough stored tension to break bones, and it does not let go gently. It is the most common way people are seriously hurt working on their own garage door. It needs winding bars, not screwdrivers, and the door has to be rebalanced afterward or the new spring goes the same way as the old one.

How long should a garage door spring last?

A standard spring is rated for roughly 10,000 open-and-close cycles. A household that uses the door four times a day gets around seven years out of it; a busy family gets through them faster. Central Illinois winters are hard on springs, which is why so many break on a cold morning.

My garage door will not close and the opener light is flashing. What is wrong?

Nine times out of ten that is the safety sensors, the two small eyes near the floor on each side of the opening. A flashing opener light means they cannot see each other. Check for a cobweb, a leaf or a bracket knocked out of line, and see whether both indicator lights are steady. If they are clean, lined up and it still will not close, the sensor or its wiring has failed.

Is it better to repair a garage door or replace it?

A door with good panels and a bad spring, cable, roller or opener is a repair, and it is not usually a close call. Replacement starts to make sense when the panels are rusted through, bent or rotten, or when several things are failing at once. Helmuth Garage Door Co. fixes what can be fixed, and says so when a door is done.

Why is my garage door crooked or off its track?

Usually a cable has snapped or come off its drum on one side, which drops that corner and jams the rollers against the track. Stop using it and do not run the opener again: a door that is already off track will bend panels or come down if it is forced.

Do you work on commercial garage doors?

Yes. Helmuth Garage Door Co. installs and repairs residential and commercial garage doors across Champaign County, including doors on shops, storage buildings and business bays.

Do you charge to come out and quote?

No. Estimates from Helmuth Garage Door Co. are free, for a repair or a new door.

What areas does Helmuth Garage Door Co. cover?

Champaign County, Illinois: Champaign, Urbana, Savoy, Mahomet, St. Joseph, Rantoul, Tolono, Philo, Sidney, Thomasboro and Fisher, plus Tuscola to the south. The shop is at 1302 N Lincoln Ave in Urbana.

How long have you been in business?

Since 1995. Helmuth Garage Door Co. is owned and run by Howard Helmuth, who has been repairing and installing garage doors around Champaign-Urbana for thirty years and still does the work himself.