How to repair a garage door cable?
Introduction
The garage door is the largest part that covers the exterior of your house. And still, we do not give it much thought. It is the portion that covers 40 percent of your house. But most of the thought we ever give is in the designing of your garage door. If you discover that you are having a problem with your cable, contact a repair company and ask them to fix it. Even if you are thinking about fixing it yourself, then read the tips below to have a better idea about it.
What is the purpose of garage door cables?
The garage door cables are the most crucial part of the whole system. It is connected with the torsion or extension spring at both ends, and it holds both springs together. If one of the cables breaks, then it will cause more pressure on the other cable. This will lead to the failure of the next as well. These cables attach both garage doors to the cable drum at either end of the torsion or extension spring shaft. Whenever the torsion spring turns then, the drum also wraps or unwraps the cable. This causes the lifting or closing of the doors.
The spring winds up when the door moves downward and unwinds when it is helping the door move upward. So, if one of the cables breaks, it will put high pressure on the other cable, roller, or tracks. Your door will not be properly aligned, and the closing/opening will also be a difficult task to perform. The additional pressure causes the cable to come off the garage door. Although the spring and cables are high tension parts of the whole garage system, the garage door cable's replacement is relatively easier than changing the springs.
How do you fix the cable on the garage door or put the garage door cable back on track?
If your garage door cable is worn out or even broken, then it needs to be fixed as soon as possible. Follow the given steps to replace your spring all by yourself:
l First and foremost is to release any tension from the cable.
l Turn off the garage door opener and open the door completely.
l Install the c-clamps inside the door on either side. They will help the door stay open all time.
l Once it is done, the rest is an easy task to unhook the spring and take off the broken cable.
l Dispose of the broken spring and install the new cable. Hook the spring back into the cable.
l After the cable is installed properly, remove the c clamp and power on the garage door opener.
l Test if the garage door and check if it is installed properly.
Note: It is important to open the garage door fully, and you need to ensure that all the tension in the cable has been released from the cable. If all the tension has not been removed from the cable, you will hurt yourself while unhooking the spring. Make sure you perform these steps before you fix the cable on the garage door cable.
4. What are things you should know while repairing the cable all by yourself?
You can repair most garage door repair jobs by yourself, such as fixing the garage door cable. First of all, you need to be confident that you can perform this task by yourself and have all the right expertise. If you have done DIY projects on your garage door before then, you can surely do this yourself. If you are not confident and are worried about your safety, do not perform this task yourself. Instead, call a professional for it.
5. How much does it cost to fix a cable on a garage door?
If you are replacing the garage door cable by yourself, then the only cost you have to pay is labor. But if you ask a professional to come and repair your cable, it will cost you around 130 to 200 dollars.
6. What are the safety measurements you should follow while fixing the garage door cable?
The repaired garage door cables are not the only thing that keeps your garage door safe. Other parts also affect the safety of your garage door, such as:
l Replacing the springs: The springs need to be changed because broken springs can cause much more damage than broken cables. And this is the task that should be left to the professionals. But if you are confident in your skills, then you can replace the spring all by yourself. Make sure you replace all the springs even when one of them is broken because then they will wear off in equal time.
l Checking the garage door tracks' alignment: make sure you check the alignment of your garage door tracks. If they are not aligned properly, then they will buckle or bend your garage door. If any dents on it are not that bad, you can gently hammer the dents to make them smooth and aligned.
l Checking the opener: make sure your opener is working. If it is not working, then you can hit your garage door while reversing the car. To test the opener, put a wooden log under the door and check if it closes on the log or not.
Conclusion
Now that you are aware of garage door cable-related problems, you can proceed with confidence and repair the door all by yourself. But if you think you cannot do this, call a professional to repair your garage door cable.
Your garage door cables are more important than you think. If they are broken, then you need to replace it as soon as possible. So that your door is up and running again, you need to release the tension in your spring, and your door will function properly.
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