Garage door broken cable repair
Do you have a broken garage door cable? It's a tricky one, because cables are vital to the smooth operation of the door. Cable size, length and configuration vary with the spring system the door uses.
The spring provides the power to lift the door; the cables manage its weight as it moves up and down. With a broken cable the door becomes inoperable and needs repair or replacement to work again.
Why cable repair is dangerous to do yourself
Because cables are so important, repairing or replacing them has to be done with maximum care. It requires experience and the right tools. Only trained professionals should handle these parts, which are under immense tension.
For your safety, contact a specialized garage door company and don't try to fix a broken cable on your own.
Why do garage door cables need repair?
Garage door cables are made of steel and are typically strong. But their job keeps them flexing, pulled repeatedly through pulleys or wrapped around drums, which increases the chance of breakage.
Like most parts of the door, cables wear. Over time they lose strength and eventually break. Check them frequently; if you see any fraying, call us and we'll evaluate the condition. Rust is the other common cause: in Florida's salt air, corroded cables must be replaced before they make the door unusable.
If your door becomes uneven, inspect the cables. On a torsion-spring door the cable wraps around a drum; when it slips, one side of the door holds while the other keeps moving. Cables can also unwind from the drum completely and need reconnecting, which is dangerous because the spring is under extreme tension.
If your door uses extension springs, check the pulleys. When a pulley wears out the cable stops running smoothly and the door becomes uneven or gets stuck. That usually means the pulley needs replacing.
Questions we get about this job
Why did my garage door cable break?
Wear from years of flexing over pulleys and drums, or rust from Florida's humid, salty air. A frayed cable is a warning; replace both before one snaps.
Should I replace one cable or both?
Both. They wear at the same rate, and a new cable paired with an old one leaves the door unbalanced.
