A garage door cable forms the backbone of your garage door system. These high-tensile cables ensure the door is balanced and properly lifted when opening or closing. Unfortunately, many homeowners experience problems with them at some point. If you own a garage door, it pays to learn more about this important component and its associated problems. 

How Do Garage Door Cables Work?

Cables provide the necessary movement to open and close the door. The two cables on each side of the door work together to do this. When you press the button to open the garage door, the spring on the winding cone side starts to spin. This movement is transferred to the shaft, which then moves the cables connected to the bottom brackets of the garage door. Finally, the drums pull on the cables and cause the door to open.

Most Common Issues With Garage Door Cables

Here are some of the most typical issues with garage door cables you might run into.

Snapped Garage Door Cable

Cables snapping is one of the most serious problems you can encounter with your garage door. When that happens, one side of the door will not have enough support and can be potentially dangerous. Regularly checking your cables is one of the best and cheapest ways to avoid this. Contact your local garage door service company for professional repair if your cables show signs of snapping.

Door Does Not Move Evenly

Many factors, including misaligned cables, can contribute to this. This problem often happens due to normal wear and tear but can also be caused by other things, like a heavy windstorm. While this is a relatively common problem, getting it fixed as soon as possible is important. Ignoring it can cause further damage to your garage door or opener. Thankfully, most garage door repair companies can take care of this for you relatively quickly.

Rust and Corrosion on Garage Door Cable

Another problem you may need help with are cables that rust or oxidize over time. Corrosion can cause the cables to break eventually. Therefore, keeping an eye on and replacing them as needed is crucial.

One way to prevent rust formation is by spraying the cables with a lubricant or garage door spray at least once a year. That will help to form a barrier against the elements that can cause the cables damage.

Door Does Not Move

Your garage door opener may have gone into manual mode if it is not lifting the door. That happens when one of the door’s components stops working. Sometimes, your cables can unfasten after an issue with your tension springs. Note that you should always handle tension springs with extreme care, as they can be very dangerous. Better, call us at Titan Garage Doors Lincoln NE for assistance.

Overhead Door Company Near Me

Need to repair your garage door? If your overhead door shows any of these symptoms, the cables might need fixing. Getting in touch with a Titan Garage Doors Lincoln NE specialist is always a good idea for a proper diagnosis of your entire system.

Stop spending time with a malfunctioning or broken garage door. Call us for a free estimate on garage door installation, spring repair, garage door maintenance, or any other garage door service. We are happy to help you if you have any garage door needs.