Take a look at your garage door. Do you realize what an intricate appliance it is? Likely, you don’t give your garage door much thought at all if you’re like a majority of individuals. Most people use this appliance every day without appreciating how many moving parts go into making it roll up and down. But it is important to educate yourself about your garage door, or you may not realize how serious care and maintenance are. That is why we wrote this blog about garage door parts. Check out our content to educate yourself about your garage door!
7 Essential Garage Door Parts You Need to Know
Your garage door opening system alone has numerous components that work together. Among these components are the garage door opener, springs, cables, drums, tracks, and rollers. We describe each part in-depth below.
1. Garage Door Opener
Garage door openers are electric motors. When you press a button, such as one on a remote or clicker, the opener turns on. It then communicates with the trolley—which attaches your garage door to the opener—and tells it whether to move up or down. There are several different types of openers. The three main types are belt-driven, chain-driven, and direct-driven. Belt-driven openers use a pulley system to open and close your garage door. As you may have guessed from the name, the pulley operates with belts. These types of openers are durable and almost noiseless, so many noise-sensitive homeowners prefer this option. Chain-driven openers also operate using a pulley system. However, they use chains rather than belts to help move the garage door up and down. These are the most common and popular types of openers. They are long-lasting and cheap, which causes them to be favored by builders and homeowners alike. The only real drawback of a chain-driven opener is the noise it makes. These openers are much louder than their belt-driven counterparts. Direct-driven openers do not operate with belts or chains. Instead, the motor does all the work when moving your garage door up and down. That makes these openers quieter than both belt and chain-driven options.
2. Garage Door Springs
Springs assist your garage door opener during the opening and closing process. The tension from the springs helps balance the weight of your garage door and keep it on the tracks. When your garage door opens, they stretch. When it closes, they coil tightly together. There are two types of garage door springs: torsion springs and extension springs. Torsion springs are considered the more reliable of the two types of garage door springs. That means they are the more popular choice. They use rotational force or torque to move your garage door up and down. Extension springs are less durable and safe than torsion springs. They are under an enormous amount of pressure, so when they snap, they fly off and break windows, windshields, and even bones. Extension springs are cheaper than torsion springs and last about the same amount of time. However, most professionals suggest going with torsion springs because they are less dangerous when they snap and more reliable.
3. Garage Door Cables
Garage door cables are another essential part of your opening system. They are crafted from galvanized steel, making them tough and long-lasting. Cables work alongside your springs to ensure your garage door’s weight stays balanced as it opens and closes. This ensures your garage door will not come down too fast and break from impact with the floor. 
4. Garage Door Drums
Garage door drums support the cables. When your garage door is closed, the cables stay taut and stretched. When it is opened, the cables wrap around the drums. Drums come in varying sizes. Some are meant to support heavy-duty doors and cables, while others are only meant to handle standard weight. Heavy-duty drums are larger and thicker, whereas other options are smaller and thinner.
5. Garage Door Tracks
Garage door tracks are pretty self-explanatory. They provide a path that the garage door can travel along when opening and closing. Because they have to support the weight of a large appliance, they are made of durable steel.
6. Garage Door Rollers
Rollers are also self-explanatory. They help your garage door move along the tracks by—you guessed it—rolling! These small parts are made of steel or sealed nylon. They vary in size based on the type of garage door opening system you have.
We Install, Repair, and Maintain Garage Door Parts!
Keeping track of all your garage door parts can be difficult. The list above doesn’t even cover the number of garage door parts in existence. We just covered the basics. If you need any help installing, repairing, and maintaining your garage door parts, you can rely on our team. The professionals at Thunder Garage Door & Locksmith Services are here to assist you. Contact us today for the best garage door part services available!