Get to Know Your Garage Door

So often, people call HABPRO Garage Doors to discuss a problem or concern with their garage door, but they do not know enough about the garage door system to provide necessary information. Below is the information regarding the parts of your garage door and opener in order to help you easily identify what may be causing your problems.

• The garage door and sections. The garage door is the large, moving part that opens and closes (rises and falls) in order to provide entry into your garage. The sections are the parts of the garage door that divide the door into segments.
• The hinges. The hinges of the garage door connect the sections of the door and allow the garage door to bend as it opens and closes.
• The sensors. Safety sensors are located on either side of the garage door near the floor. They communicate with the garage door opener. One sensor emits a laser, while the other receives it. If there is a disruption between the two sensors, the garage door will not go down – or if it was already going down, it will immediately switch directions and lift itself up. Safety sensors have been required since 1992 for all new automatic garage doors.
• The tracks. The tracks of the garage door guide the door as it moves. These tracks are on the sides of your door and lead up to the garage ceiling.
• The springs. The torsion springs above the garage door is under a substantial amount of stress and tension, as it supplies the power to lift and slowly lower the heavy garage door. (Older garage doors used extension springs that ran along the horizontal track.)
• The opener. Garage door openers are controlled by the touch of a finger via the opener itself or from a smartphone or computer.
• The bottom seal. Garage doors have a bottom seal against the door that protects the garage from weather, offers a bumper for the door as it closes, and provides a proper fit for the closed door.

If you are having issues with your garage door, it is very helpful to you and to us at HABPRO Garage Doors to know what part or parts of your door are causing trouble. Also, making yourself educated about the different parts of your garage door and how they work can help to ensure your safety.