A garage door is composed of a complex set of mechanisms that allow it to open and close and secure your motor vehicle and other belongings kept inside the garage.
Most homeowners, even if they use their garage and garage door on a regular basis, have not really paid much attention as to how a garage door works. As long as it is opening and closing, everything is well and good right?
Note that it is important to pay attention to how the mechanism of your garage door work. This is important in order to ensure that all of its components are in proper working order and to assure safety.
Components of a garage door
- A garage door opener is at the heart of the smooth operation and high performance of your garage door. This is because it controls the regular opening and closing of your garage door. As such, it should always be properly maintained and should definitely be in a good working condition to avoid accidents and mishaps.A garage door opener, which comes in three types, can oftentimes be a complex mechanism. It can be manually operated or may require a remote control. The three types of garage door openers are classified and apply named according to the pulleys in its motor which enable the opening and closing of your garage door. These are: the chain drive, belt drive and screw drive.In order to ensure safety, a garage door opener has a quick release mechanism that is used during emergencies or power failures and signal sensors connected to access devices and receivers.
- Garage door torsion springs support the weight of your garage door. Through regular and continued use, garage door springs are usually stretched tight and subject to wear and tear.On the average, garage door torsion springs have a lifespan of 10,000 cycles. Opening your door and closing it consist of one cycle. As such, if you use your garage door twice a day, the springs will last for 14 years. However, regular use of garage doors is usually pegged at 4 times a day, meaning your torsion springs will only last for 7 years.It is very important to take note of the lifespan of your garage door torsion springs and monitor your use. Oftentimes, improper or poor maintenance, temperature and weather conditions, misalignment etc. can affect your garage door springs and cause it to break.
- Garage door rollers are important to your garage door system. The rollers, which are the small wheels with ball bearings that are attached to a shaft on your door, enable it to slide smoothly and quietly. The rollers also help in making your garage door energy efficient and long-lasting.
- Garage door drums works alongside your door springs for the smooth operation of your garage door mechanism. It also keeps your garage door balanced as it opens and closes.There are three types of garage door drums:
Standard lift – Generally used for most residential garage doors
Vertical lift – Most commonly used in industrial or warehouse settings
High-lift – An increased vertical rise for the door; horizontal track closer to ceilingEach type of cable drum is designed to accommodate/balance the door based on the maximum door height, overall weight of the door and the cable thickness and length. - Garage door cables bear the brunt work of lifting your garage door, with the tension provided by the springs. This means that the cables are quite prone to wear and tear.
- Garage door rollers guide the movement of your garage door up and down a track. Even if these rollers are quite small, pinpointing the right ones can be real tricky. In choosing the appropriate roller for your needs, you have a lot of things to consider such as the material of the garage door roller because it will influence its lifespan, its resistance to different types of environments, how quiet it can be and the actual weight of the door that it will be lifting.
- Garage door tracks facilitate the smooth movement of your garage door. Bent, misaligned or damaged garage door tracks can be due to several factors, such as inadequate lubrication of the rollers, broken drum connection or broken cable, fatigue on the metal that is used for making the track, decayed jamb or footings and scraping of vertical track.Whatever is the cause, when you have damaged door tracks need to be repaired immediately. Otherwise, it will cause other problems for your garage door.
If you notice any problem or issue with the performance of your garage door and any of its components, never hesitate to contact A1 Garage Door Service. It is our job to keep your garage door in optimum performance and efficiency, as well as safe for your use and that of your family. Just call us at 844-214-2724.