Garage Door Parts and Replacement and why you need to check them often.
Garage doors are typically made of steel, fiberglass, aluminum, or wood. When directed by a motor, your garage door opens by sliding on rollers along a track that runs up to the garage ceiling. The door slides back down along the track to close. Springs counterbalance the door’s weight and steadily control the door’s movement.
Parts of a Garage Door
Several components make up a garage door, including:
-
Panels
-
Hinges
-
Tracks
-
Rollers
-
Springs
-
Emergency cord
-
Sensors
-
Garage door opener
Panels
Typically, multiple rectangular wood, steel, aluminum, fiberglass, or vinyl panels make up garage doors. Colors vary, so you can easily find one that matches your home and boosts its curb appeal.
Hinges
Hinges secure the panels together, folding to allow the door to bend and retract as it moves along the track to open or close.
Tracks
You can find garage door tracks running vertically on either side of the garage door and above it. When you press the button on the garage door opener, the door is triggered to open or close. The tracks guide the door during its movement.
Rollers
To move along the tracks, your garage door glides along rollers consisting of a metal rod and a wheel made of nylon, steel, or plastic.
Springs
Garage doors generally feature spring systems that control the door’s motion when it opens and closes, counterbalancing the door’s weight and allowing for steady movement. There are two common spring systems in garage doors: torsion and extension, with torsion spring systems being the most popular because of their durability.
Emergency Cord
An emergency pull cord hangs down on the inside of your garage near the door. When you pull it, the system’s motor will disengage, and it will stop opening or closing.
Sensors
Like the emergency cord, sensors come in majorly handy in an emergency when you need to stop the door from moving (like when it’s about to close on your foot). Garage door sensors are also called photo eyes. They shoot an invisible beam across the opening of the garage door. When an object breaks the beam, the sensors send a signal to the motor to stop it.
Garage Door Opener
Garage door openers are motorized devices that open and close garage doors. They’re typically made up of sensors and motors that trigger the door to open or close when you direct it to do so by pressing the garage door opener. They typically only work from a short distance, so you won’t have to worry about accidentally opening the garage when you’re out and about.
Weather Seal
Your garage door’s weather seal stretches along the bottom of the door. It keeps out drafts, rain, and other outside elements. The seal protects everything inside the garage from the elements while also increasing the door’s energy efficiency.