As the result of frequent use, elements and age, garage door cables can fray or break. These essential components of your garage door, along with the springs, control the tension and motion of the door. A broken cable can leave you with a garage door that’s hanging at an angle or stuck halfway open. Though a garage door may seem like a basic machine, don’t try to repair a broken cable unless you are confident that you know what you are doing. The procedure, if done improperly, can result in the entire door falling, causing serious personal injury or property damage.
Garage Door Cable Types
Garage door cables are specific to the type of door, so homeowners must determine the proper cable for the job. These are the three basic cable types:
- Extension spring door cables: These cables are used for doors that have springs located at the sides of the track.
- Safety cables: Safety cables are used along with extension springs to prevent injury or damage if a spring fails. This type of cable is attached at each end of the door and is threaded through the center of the spring. In the event of a spring failure, the safety cable contains both broken ends of the spring, preventing them from flying through your garage, causing damage or injury. Precision Door Service technicians have often encountered garage doors without safety cables. This is very dangerous and could cause serious injury or death.
- Torsion cables: have a loop at the end that is attached to the bottom of the door along with a crimped stop at the other end. These cables require a particular method for attaching and winding. Your door height also determines the cable length.
To ensure proper operation and optimal alignment after installing the cables, both sides of the door must be adjusted to have equal tension.
Professional Assessment
If your garage door is frozen in place or hanging at an angle, our expert technicians can quickly assess the problem and determine which parts need replacing.
Contact Us
Contact Precision Door Service of Charleston, SC today for prompt service and get your garage door back on track. You can trust our experienced team to provide swift and safe repairs to keep your garage door operating worry-free.