Off-Track Garage Door Reset: before you call

The morning after a thaw the opener groaned, the door stayed stuck to the icy floor for a second, then lurched up crooked. It stopped halfway with a grinding scrape and has not moved since.

Worth answering before the call

Was the door frozen to the floor or was something under it when the opener ran? Have you unplugged the opener or pulled the red release cord? Is a vehicle trapped inside the garage right now?

Why does the door need a balance test after being reset?

Balance shows that the springs are carrying the door's weight so the opener only guides it. After a reset the door is disconnected from the opener, raised by hand to the halfway point and released; a balanced door holds there with little drift. If it falls or shoots up, the counterbalance needs adjusting before the opener is reconnected, otherwise the motor strains and the rollers are pushed out of line again.

I only tapped the door with the bumper. Why is it off its track?

A sectional door is strong in the direction it travels and surprisingly easy to push sideways at a single roller. A light nudge on the bottom section can flex the track lip enough for the roller to slip out, after which the section twists and the rollers above follow. The good news is that this kind of event usually leaves the cables and springs alone, so the reset is often rollers, a re-formed track lip and a hinge check.