Like most homeowners, you probably use your garage doors every day. So it’s incredibly inconvenient when your garage door isn’t operating as smoothly as you’d like. Frayed garage door cables are one of the causes of a faulty garage door. Over time, these cables wear out until they fray, break, or snap. When this happens, there’s a significant risk of sudden garage door closure, property damage, and operational failure.
A malfunctioning garage door is not only disruptive to your daily routine, but it also presents potential safety hazards that can lead to serious injury. To prevent accidents, immediate attention and repair are required when dealing with cable failure. It’s important to be aware of the common signs of broken cables, the immediate actions to take, and the proper maintenance of your cable system to ensure a safe and functional garage door.
Related Article: Garage Door Troubleshooting Tips for Minor Issues
Common Signs of Frayed or Broken Garage Door Cables
Most automatic garage doors utilize cables (e.g. lift cables, torsion springs, and bottom bracket cables) for a smooth and safe operation. So, when garage door cables break, the functionality of your garage door is compromised and they fail to lift or move your garage’s heavy door. To identify whether you’re dealing with a faulty garage door cable, keep an eye out for these common tell-tale signs:
Visible Damage
Check for signs of excessive wear, tear, and deterioration on your garage door cables. This can manifest in several ways, like an exposed cable core and unraveled cable strands. Also, look for rust, bends, and kinks along the length of your garage door cable. These signs of damage are a clear indication of a broken cable in immediate need of repairs.
Unusual Sounds
Scraping, squeaking, and grinding noises are common signs of a frayed cable. These unusual sounds are often caused by the frayed cables dragging or scraping against other components of the garage door system. When garage door cables break, you might also hear a popping or snapping noise.
Slow and Uneven Door Movement
When a broken cable fails to support the garage door, it leads to slow and uneven door movement rather than a smooth glide. As a result, garage doors open unevenly or close improperly. This poses a safety hazard as the door’s movement will be unpredictable and potentially lead to accidents.
Misaligned Doors
Another typical sign of broken or frayed cables is misaligned doors. You’ll have trouble operating your garage door as it jams and gets stuck in the process. If you’re dealing with misaligned doors, don’t force them. Doing so will only add undue pressure to the entire system and potentially lead to further damage.
Loose Cables
When garage cables become loose, they may lose their tension and, consequently, lose the ability to properly carry the weight of the garage door as it’s being lifted or moved. This can lead to more complications, affecting things like the spring tension and resulting in costly repairs if left unattended.
Immediate Actions to Take When You Have a Broken Garage Door Cable
So, you’ve determined that you have a broken garage door cable. What do you do? Here are the essential things to keep in mind in the face of garage door cable troubles:
Stop Using the Garage Door
First of all, stop trying to operate your garage door. Forcing it to work when it has broken cables can damage its overall structural integrity and make things even worse. Instead, take the time to inspect the garage door and the broken garage door cable to assess how severe the damage is.
Observe Safety Precautions
Safety first! When you’re dealing with a broken garage door cable, it’s understandable that you want to fix it as soon as possible. However, don’t forget to make sure that no one is standing too close to the garage door in case it suddenly falls or gives out. While arranging cable repairs, ensure you’re observing safety precautions to protect yourself and your family.
Quick and Temporary Fixes (Only If Necessary)
Sometimes, specific situations may require temporary fixes. For example, a broken garage door cable left your garage door partially open and you need to make sure it stays in that position to prevent any accidents. In such cases, you can use clamps or braces to keep your garage doors in the same position and avoid sudden, unexpected movement.
Hire a Professional Garage Door Repair Technician
Ultimately, the most important action you need to take is to arrange a garage door repair with your trusted garage door professional. These pros know exactly how to fix broken garage door cables, and you can rest assured that the results are long-lasting. They will likely start with a visual inspection of your garage door system and then have the broken garage door cables replaced.
How to Properly Maintain Your Garage Door Cable
Maintaining the health and integrity of your garage door cable is the best way to ensure your safety and extend the lifespan of your garage doors. Additionally, it’s an effective way to make sure that your garage door operates at its peak performance, saving you the time, money, and hassle associated with garage door repair.
Regular Maintenance and Inspection
Conduct regular maintenance and inspection on your garage door. Inspect the condition of your garage door cable, as well as the other components of your garage door system to catch any issues that need to be addressed. When you detect these problems early, you can fix or replace the components as soon as possible and restore your garage door’s functionality.
While it’s possible to do some aspects of maintenance and inspection yourself, it’s never a bad idea to call professional help. If you’ve tried solving a certain issue yourself yet the problem persists, it’s definitely time to call the pros.
Professional Assistance
Schedule maintenance, inspection, and repairs with professional garage door technicians for your peace of mind. For garage door cable replacement, they will replace your broken cables with new, stronger cables that will help your garage door operate properly again. Additionally, they can perform adjustments, lubrication, and test the safety of your garage door and garage door opener system.
The Garage Door Company: Your Go-To for All Your Garage Door Needs
Is your garage door cable frayed? Or perhaps you’re dealing with other garage door issues that you’d like fixed as soon as possible. In either case, you can rely on The Garage Door Company to provide whatever garage door service you need with the expertise you deserve.
If you’re anywhere near Edmond and Oklahoma City, call The Garage Door Company at (405) 261-8389 today for a free estimate!
