A garage door, or overhead door, is the biggest access point to your home. This entrance and exit should be properly maintained to keep all the components functioning at peak efficiency. Use the following guide to learn about the most important parts and common issues that affect them.

What Are the Main Components of a Garage Door?

1. Overhead Panels

The panels in an overhead door are what’s responsible for keeping intruders out. They also increase your home’s energy efficiency and improving its curb appeal. You shouldn’t encounter many issues with them beyond potential dings or fading from exposure to weather and other outdoor elements.

The panels also contain the hinges, which allow your door to bend as it raises or lowers. These hinges are fairly durable. If they seem noisy, you can lubricate them with a silicone spray or white lithium grease.

2. Torsion Springs

These springs are centered above the inside of the garage door. The spring winds and unwinds, working in conjunction with the cables and drums to lift and lower the door.

It’s important to have a torsion spring that’s matched to your overhead door’s weight to avoid stressing the other parts of the system. The wrong spring can cause misalignment of your door. Misaligned overhead doors may not be able to bear the weight of a door as it’s being raised or lowered. This increases the risk of the door falling suddenly and injuring a person or animal, or damaging your vehicle or property.

3. Drums & Cables

The drums are located on the upper corners on the inside of the garage door and are attached to the same metal shaft as the torsion springs. The cables are wrapped around the drums and run down to the bottom of the door. 

As the door opens, the torsion springs turn the metal shaft. That shaft turns the drums, which pulls the cables. The cables help pull the door up from the bottom. If your cables slip off the drums, you may have a torsion spring that doesn’t have the proper amount of tension. You may also have the wrong size springs, drums, or cables.

For the best garage door services, trust the team at Elizabethtown Overhead, Inc. For 25 years, this locally owned and operated company has provided residential and commercial overhead doors to customers throughout Hardin County, KY. They provide honest quotes and efficient service. Whether you need overhead door repairs or a replacement, or a new door opener, they have the expertise to handle your needs with precision. Call (270) 763-9121 for a free quote, and learn more about their services on their website.