SNAPPED, LOOSE, or DAMAGED CABLE
Cables with torsion spring system are attached to the drums on top side and to the brackets at the bottom of each side of the door. The cables are part of the pulley system for garage doors with extension spring systems. They operate in pairs one on each side of your door.
Cables play an important role when you operate your garage door. They aide lifting your heavy door and are subjected to multiple forces as they wind and unwind from their cable drums or pulleys.
The cables are subject to individual wire failure and will start fraying and is a sign that the cable is on its way to snapping. Although cables come in pairs, they will typically break one at a time. You will notice one of your cables is physically broken or frayed, hanging from its drum or coiled on the floor. A broken cable can leave your garage door unbalanced, unable to operate, possibly hanging at an angle. A broken cable may also cause secondary symptoms in other garage door parts, like the track, spring, or rollers.
Most common causes that leads to a fraying/broken cable:
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Excessive moisture and corrosive chemicals surfacing the cables
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Damaged weather strip which can lead to rust on your cable
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Improperly installed/loose springs
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Damaged pulleys
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Worn out rollers
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Normal wear and tear
If one or both cables have snapped or are damaged, both cables should be replaced so both sides of the garage door have equal length of cable. If one or both cables became loose and are not broken or frayed, we can put them back on its drum properly and rebalance your door after fixing other problems that may have caused them to become loose, such as broken springs. Not having your door balanced is a common cause for the cables to become loose from its drums.
If you see that your overhead garage door cable has snapped, unplug your garage door opener and give us a call. If your door is partially raised, do not attempt to force it up or down. Doing so will further damage your garage door assembly and could cause your remaining cable to snap. Because springs and cables are kept under high tension, attempting this repair without knowledge and experience could result in serious injury.
