A snapped garage door cable usually announces itself with a loud snap or a sudden crooked door. One side hangs lower than the other, the opener strains, and loose steel cable dangles near the floor. It is one of the most dangerous garage door failures, and it is also one of the most common repair calls we get in Omaha.
Here is exactly what to do in the first few minutes, what not to touch, and how a technician fixes it. If you need help now, call (402) 901-4552 for garage door cable repair in Omaha.
What your garage door cables are holding up
Typical garage door weight by door type, in pounds. Springs and cables carry nearly all of it.
View data table
Door type
Typical weight
Single steel, non-insulated
50 to 90 lb
Single steel, insulated
75 to 130 lb
Double steel, non-insulated
120 to 170 lb
Double steel, insulated
150 to 250 lb
Double wood or carriage
250 to 400 lb
What to Do Right Now
- Stop using the door. Do not press the opener button again. Running a door with a broken cable can twist it in the tracks, bend panels and break the other cable.
- Unplug the opener. This prevents anyone in the house from hitting the remote or wall button.
- Keep people, kids, pets and cars away from the door. A door with one cable can drop suddenly or shift sideways.
- If the door is open, leave it open. Do not try to pull it down by hand. If it is closed, leave it closed.
- Do not touch the cable, drums, springs or bottom brackets. They may still be under tension.
- Call a garage door technician. If your car is trapped or your home is exposed, this is an emergency; see our 24/7 emergency garage door repair.
How to Tell If It Is the Cable or the Spring
- Broken cable: the door hangs crooked, one side is lower, and you can see a loose or frayed cable near the bottom corner.
- Broken torsion spring: the door is level but extremely heavy, you heard a bang from above the door, and there is a visible gap in the spring coils.
- Both: a spring failure can throw a cable off its drum. That is common, and both need to be fixed together.
If it is the spring, see our garage door spring repair page.
Why Garage Door Cables Snap
- Rust and wear: cables near the floor sit in meltwater and road salt every winter. Rusted strands break one by one until the cable fails.
- Fraying at the bottom bracket: the cable rubs where it attaches to the door.
- Worn pulleys or drums: rough edges cut into the cable over time.
- Spring problems: an out of balance or broken spring puts uneven load on the cables.
- Age: cables usually wear out on a similar schedule to springs, so if your springs were replaced and your cables were not, the cables are the next weak point.
Why You Should Not Fix It Yourself
Garage door cables work with the springs to lift a door that can weigh 150 to 350 pounds. Replacing a cable means releasing and resetting spring tension. Most DIY garage door injuries happen during spring and cable work, and a mistake can send a winding bar or a falling door into whoever is standing nearby. It is not a job worth saving money on.
How We Repair a Snapped Cable
- Secure the door so it cannot move.
- Safely release spring tension.
- Replace the cables on both sides, since the second cable is usually just as worn.
- Inspect drums, pulleys, bottom brackets and rollers, and replace any damaged parts.
- Reset spring tension, balance the door and test the opener's safety reverse.
Most cable repairs are finished in a single visit, because our trucks carry common cable sizes.
Serving the Whole Omaha Metro
Our shop sits just south of downtown at 1365 South 22nd St, a few minutes from Interstate 480 and the Old Market. From there our technicians cover Omaha, Bellevue, Papillion, La Vista, Ralston, Millard, Elkhorn, Gretna and Council Bluffs, IA.
How to Prevent Cable Failure
- Look at both cables every few months for rust or broken strands.
- Keep the bottom of the door dry in winter so cables are not sitting in salty meltwater.
- Replace springs and cables together when either one wears out.
- Book a yearly garage door inspection so a technician can catch fraying early.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I still open my garage door with a broken cable?
No. Using the door can cause it to jam, twist or fall. Leave it where it is and call for service.
Should both cables be replaced?
Yes, in almost every case. Both cables are the same age and carry the same load, so the second one is usually close to failing too.
Is a snapped cable an emergency?
If your door is stuck open, your car is trapped or the door is hanging crooked, yes. Call (402) 901-4552 any time, day or night.
Written by the Garage Doors of Omaha service team.