Parts of a Garage Door

The garage is an essential part of any house. Your garage can improve curb appeal and the overall value of your home. Even if you use your garage door every day, you might not know much about how the garage door system works. When you learn more about the components of a garage door and how they operate, you’re better prepared to face potential challenges and make the best choices for your home.

Components of a Garage Door System

Garage door systems vary, but most have the same essential parts and pieces. Here are the primary components of the typical garage door:

• Door: The door itself is the most prominent part of any garage system. Garage doors, also known as sections, are the panels that serve as the actual barrier between your garage and the outside world. These panels come in various sizes and styles to suit your preferences, including sectional, retractable, roll-up and more. You can choose from materials like steel or aluminum and nearly any color you can imagine.
• Opener: Your garage door opener is a central component of the system’s opening mechanism. The operator is a small box mounted on the ceiling that contains a motor and a small computer. Garage door openers come in several brands and styles, but they all require electricity to open and close the door.
• Springs: Along with the opener, garage door springs provide much of the power needed to open the door. Springs counterbalance the garage door’s weight, harnessing elastic energy to reduce strain on the operator or anyone manually lifting the door. There are two types of garage door springs. A torsion spring is placed above the door, while extension springs run along the side of the horizontal tracks.
• Tube: Only systems with torsion springs have a tube shaft. The tube shaft is a metal bar mounted above the garage door that keeps the torsion spring in place. The spring wraps around the tube and transfers its power to the drums.
• Drums: Drums are also only present on garage doors with torsion springs. Garage door drums are like pulley wheels that sit on either end of the tube shaft and connect to the cables. When the torsion spring releases energy, the drums rotate and cause the cables to extend or retract, depending on whether the door is opening or closing.
• Cables: Garage doors have several types of cables, including torsion spring cables, extension spring cables and safety cables. Metal cables primarily connect the bottom of the garage door to the drums and pull the door up as the lift mechanism is activated. 
• Tracks: Tracks and rollers keep the door on a set path. Metal tracks and small wheels make sure the door stays in place every time it opens and closes. These tracks ensure proper alignment and safe operation. Many doors won’t open if they come off the tracks as a safety feature.
• Safety sensor: Motorized garage doors are useful tools, but they’re also potential safety hazards due to their size and weight. Federal standards require every garage door installed after 1992 to have safety sensors. These sensors sit a few feet above the ground on either side of the garage door. If they detect something in the door’s path as it closes, they automatically halt the door to prevent injuries.
• Additional features: Every garage door system is different, and some have additional features, such as emergency cords, locks for security and struts and seals for extra support or reinforcement.

When Do I Need Garage Door Parts?

If you use your garage every day, your garage door system experiences a lot of wear and tear. Over time, constant use can erode various parts of the system and lead to problems. Proper maintenance can extend the life of your garage door components, but when a major problem arises, you need a professional to quickly and safely address the issue.

At Asheville Garage Door, LLC, we offer garage door installation, service and sales. Our team of skilled technicians is available to assist you with a range of residential and commercial garage door issues or to install a new door at your home or business. 

Garage Door Service and Installation in Asheville, NC

Learn more about garage door pieces and how Asheville Garage Door, LLC, gets our customers the best products and services available. Get a free estimate from our team or request a service appointment today!