Garage door cables are one of the most underappreciated components of the modern garage door. They’re as old-school as you can get but without them that app that allows you to open your door from the other side of the world would be useless. As would that quiet, reliable motor. That’s because it’s the cables (and the pulleys they’re wound around) that transfer the energy from the springs to the door. No cables and the springs are useless and so is the door.
There are several different cables at work on most contemporary garage doors, and each serves a crucial function. Review our comprehensive guide to garage door cables to learn the different garage door cable types, and the functions served by each, and the top causes of common cable malfunctions.
There are two types of cables on most garage doors: the cables that transfer the energy of the springs to the task of lifting the door and the safety cables that do their best to prevent you from getting hurt in the event of an accident with the springs. Let’s look at the lifting cables first.