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Worn Or Broken Garage Door Cables
in Fort Lauderdale, FL
Steel cables run along each side of your garage door and carry a big share of the door's weight every time it moves. The salt air in Fort Lauderdale corrodes the individual wire strands, and you usually won't notice until the cable starts to fray or snaps completely. A dropped door is dangerous, and it often damages the opener, tracks, and panels in the same fall.
Quick Answer
Garage door cables are steel wires that work alongside the springs to lift and lower the door evenly. Fort Lauderdale's humid, salty air corrodes cable strands from the outside in, especially in coastal neighborhoods like Hollywood Beach and Hallandale Beach. When a cable snaps, the door can drop fast and hard on anything underneath it. A technician replaces both cables at the same time. Call (754) 354-5611 if you see fraying or if the door is moving unevenly.
Telltale Signs
Warning Signs to Watch For
- Frayed or kinked wire visible on either side of the door
- The door hangs lower on one side than the other
- A loud snap or pop came from the side of the door
- The bottom corner of the door pulls away from the floor when closed
- The cable has jumped off the drum at the top of the track
- The door moves but shakes or jerks on one side
Root Causes
What Causes Worn Or Broken Garage Door Cables?
Corrosion From Salt Air
Salt particles in the air near Fort Lauderdale's coast settle on the cable strands and start to rust them from the outside. The individual wires inside the cable thin out and snap one at a time until the whole cable fails. This happens faster on doors that face east or are within a mile of the Intracoastal Waterway.
The Fix
Corrosion-Resistant Cable Replacement
A technician replaces both cables with galvanized steel cable rated for the door's weight. Both sides are replaced together because a cable that is half as corroded as the broken one won't last much longer.
Worn Drum Or Frayed Wrap Point
Cables wrap around a drum at the top of each track. If the drum develops a rough edge from wear or rust, it cuts into the cable strands a little more each cycle. Eventually the cable wears through at that contact point and snaps.
The Fix
Cable And Drum Replacement
A technician inspects the drum for damage and replaces it along with the cable if needed. Installing a new cable on a damaged drum just shortens the new cable's life.
Self-Diagnosis
Which Cause Applies to You?
Check the signs you're observing to narrow down the likely root cause before your inspection.
| What You're Seeing | Corrosion From Salt Air | Worn Drum Or Frayed Wrap Point |
|---|---|---|
| Visible rust or fraying on the cable surface | ||
| Cable snapped at the drum wrapping point | ||
| Door sags on one side | ||
| Cable looks intact but has jumped off the drum | ||
| Door is near a salt-air coastal area and cable is older than 5 years |
Free Inspection
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