Repairing your garage door cable may seem simple, but it’s actually a little more complicated than it looks. You have to use caution with this procedure because the garage door springs are under lots of pressure and can be very dangerous if disconnected the wrong way.
Before you do any work on the cables of your garage door, you should prepare for the job. Make sure the garage door is fully closed. If you have a slack cable, you may be able to fix it just by cutting a cable end and making the cable shorter by eliminating all the slack.
If you need to replace the garage door cable, close the door so that you can take the old cable out and install a new one. This is pretty easy, but you have to make sure there’s enough tension in the cable once you’ve put the new cable on.
After you’ve repaired and replaced the cable, it’s important that you check your work. Make sure there’s a good distance between you and the garage door before you open it; about 15 feet is usually a safe distance. When you’re not standing too close to the door, you’ll be able to keep yourself protected if a spring breaks and pops off of the cable.
Even though the process can be pretty straightforward, it’s also easy to make a few mistakes when you’re repairing the garage door cable. For instance, you shouldn’t let too much slack in when you’re installing the cable, since this can keep the door from opening and closing the right way. The cables also have to be properly tightened and there are some cables you can purchase that will snap so they should be checked about twice a year for wear and tear.
Since the track is what’s necessary to keep the door in the right place and functioning properly, garage door track installation is one of the most essential parts of the installation. The track is runners made of metal that are placed on the walls or ceiling of the garage; the door slides on these cables when it is lowered or raised. When the tracks are installed properly, you can avoid problems with your garage door in the future
Be sure to measure the tracks and the space where they will be positioned carefully. There has to be equal distance between the top of the runner and the top of the garage door, as well as equal distance on both sides of the track and the garage door. Usually, there should only be about half an inch of space between the track and the garage door. To make sure that both the door and the track are straight, use a tape measure.
Remember to also be careful with the screws when you’re installing or repairing a garage door cable. The screws should be tight but not firm so that the drums holding the cables won’t crack. Screws that are firm but only overly secure will keep your garage door functioning at its best.
