Garage door one side hangs lower than the other
This is almost always a cable off the drum, or a broken lift cable. Repair costs $140 to $260 and takes 45 to 60 minutes. Safe to operate: No.
Why this happens
A door sitting crooked has lost cable tension on the low side. Running the opener from here can pull the door fully out of its tracks, bend the sections, and turn a cable repair into a door replacement.
One side hanging lower almost always means one cable has left its drum or stretched. The door is now hanging unevenly on the other cable.
Less likely, but possible
- A broken spring on a two-spring door, which unloads one side first
- A bent or loose track bracket letting that side drop
- A failed bottom bracket, which is under full cable tension and is dangerous to touch
What happens if I ignore it?
Running the opener drags the door diagonally through the tracks. A $180 cable repair becomes bent tracks and creased panels, and often a full replacement at $1,200 or more.
The repair: cable repair
Garage door cable repair costs $140 to $260 and takes 45 to 60 minutes. A door hanging lower on one side has lost cable tension and must not be operated — running it can pull the door out of its tracks entirely.
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