Garage Door Cable Repair / Replacement

Garage doors often cover more than 40% of the front-facing area of a home and are one of the largest moving parts of a house. Still, homeowners often neglect them until an element requires attention.

While seemingly simple, garage doors feature a complex mechanism and contain numerous vital components, including the garage door cable. The cables rely on either extension or torsion springs to ensure a smooth up and down movement. Every garage door has two cables placed on each side, and if one breaks, the stress of holding the doors shifts to the other, leading to an eventual complete failure.

Generally, garage door cables last between eight and 15 years, but improper track alignment can shorten their lifespan. Other reasons for garage door cable failure include lack of regular maintenance, jammed door tracks, ice build-up, incorrect cable installation, improperly adjusted spring tension, or impact damage.

Replacing a broken garage door cable requires expertise and the right set of skills. It may seem like a straightforward job, but because safety is a priority, due to the sheer weight of a garage door, it's best to leave the job to the garage door specialists.

The Lifting Cables

• Torsion springs:

  Lifting garage door cables can have torsion springs that deliver maximum sturdiness and longevity. They allow for controlled movement and ensure proper garage door balance. These helical springs can exert rotary or torque force and don't wear out the garage door motor. A torsion spring has a cable drum on each end of the lifting cable. Torsion springs reduce garage door jerking, and there are fewer safety concerns.

• Extension springs:

  Extension springs are attached with lift cables, and as the door moves, the cable pulls the spring at a constant rate, counterbalancing the garage door weight. Extension springs represented the standard in the garage door industry for many years, and they are still more appropriate in specific environments. However, they are generally less durable and may jerk unexpectedly.

Preventing Lifting Cables from Breaking

A garage door lifting cable offers power, efficiency, and balance. But despite its strength, the lifting cable wears and frays over time and may even break. Should that occur, forgo attempting a DIY repair and call a reliable garage door service instead. However, homeowners can take a proactive approach to ensure the lifting cable lasts longer.

In general, preventative maintenance plays a significant role in garage doors. The best course of action includes checking the lifting cables every few months and searching for signs of deterioration.

Debris, build-up, frays, kinks, or grime all necessitate maintenance to prevent the lifting cable from breaking prematurely. Furthermore, routine lubrication of springs and cables ensures longer-lasting and smoother performance and may reduce the chance of the cable snapping.

The Safety Cables

Garage door safety cables attach to the door frame on one end and the door springs on the other. When a spring breaks, these cables prevent the pieces from flying into the garage, which could damage cars, furniture, or walls, and even injure someone.

The constant pressure on garage door springs, consistent wear, and rapidly changing environmental conditions can cause them to break. Without a safety cable, the high velocity of a broken garage door spring can damage the vehicle and cause a windshield or paintwork, which can lead to expensive repairs. Safety cables play an important role in keeping the system as safe as possible.

Homeowners might find that replacing a safety cable requires little effort. But precision is essential, and incorrectly attaching them can have unforeseen circumstances if they don't hold the springs correctly.