Get to Know Your Garage Door Support System

Considering everything about your garage, the garage door is the star of the show. Without the unwavering security it provides, you wouldn’t be able to store anything safely in your garage. Without its ability to easily and quickly open and close, you wouldn’t be able to drive your car in and out of the garage; or simply wheel out your lawn mower, snow blower, boat or anything else, large or small, you keep in your garage.

When movie stars get an award. they often thank all the people who supported them and made the award possible. Well, as the star performer of the garage, your garage door owes its ability to do so many amazing things to a long list of supporting hardware. Every piece works together in order to create the garage door’s support system. 

A Garage Door’s Support System

Without the following list of hardware, your garage door wouldn’t even be able to remain upright on its own.

Springs

Two types of springs work together to make it easy to open and close your garage door. A coil-shaped torsion spring sits horizontally above the door. It counterbalances the huge weight of the door. Extension springs located above the horizontal tracks help keep the door level from side to side.

Door Hinges

 Connecting the panels of the door, the hinges bend to allow the door to rise vertically to open and roll into a horizontal position when fully open.

Rollers

Extending off either side of each door panel, the rollers sit inside the roller tracks. They support the door vertically when it is closed and horizontally when it is open. And they allow the door to roll smoothly between the two positions

Lifting Cables

Located on either side of the door, the lifting cables keep the door stable during its operation.

Roller Tracks

Running along either side of the door from its vertical position to its horizontal position, the roller tracks guide and support the door.

Weather Stripping

Between each panel, along with the bottom of the door and around the outside of the door on the door frame, weather stripping helps to insulate the garage from outside temperatures and wind.

Most homeowners never realize the complexity of their entire garage door system. If you want to learn more about your garage door and garage door’s support system, how it works and how to keep it working, contact us at Markham Garage Doors.