Dissecting a Garage Door Opener — How Does It Work?
The garage door is an essential part of any home — it provides secure, easy access to the garage and ensures your car and belongings stay protected from theft and the elements. Opening and closing your garage four times daily adds up to almost 1,500 cycles a year. With all that use, a functional garage door opener is crucial to the operation of your garage.
Despite the importance of an automatic garage door opener, many homeowners fail to understand how the device works. Understanding how a garage door opener works will help you troubleshoot any issues your opener has and will allow you to keep your garage in top condition. Learn more about garage door openers, how they work and how to fix them with this guide.
What Is a Garage Door Opener?
Garage door openers are standard features of modern garages — they make using the garage door simple and convenient for safer, faster home access. But what exactly is a garage door opener?
Garage door openers are motorized devices that open and close garage doors. They have a switch on the wall or a remote control that lets you open and close your garage door at the push of a button. Openers typically have automatic safety features like auto-reverse and motion detection to prevent accidents and protect the door and other objects from harm.
Types of Garage Door Openers
There are four types of overhead door openers that you might come across — each one is slightly different, so evaluate all of your options carefully to ensure you get the best opener for your home. The main difference between openers is the driving utility or how they run. Some use threaded parts, while others use belts or chains. All overhead door openers use a motor that moves a trolley that connects to the door to create movement.
Check out the different types of garage door openers:
Belt Drive
Belt drives use a rubber belt to slide the door trolley. The trolley moves the door open and closed with the help of the belt. Since the belt drive uses a rubber belt, its motions are smoother and quieter, and there’s less vibration compared to other drives. Belt drives have fewer moving parts than other drives like chain drives and need less maintenance to stay in top condition.
Belt drives are low-maintenance and quiet, making them perfect for any home. They’re especially great for homes with garages underneath bedrooms and living rooms since they produce minimal vibration and noise.
Screw Drive
Screw drive garage doors have a threaded-steel rod that moves the trolley. As the rod rotates, the trolley lowers and lifts the door. Like a belt drive, it also has fewer moving parts and requires less maintenance. This rod design of this drive means it’s quiet and has smoother movement than chain drives.
Like the belt drive, the screw drive is ideal for attached garages. They require less maintenance and produce less noise so household members won’t be disturbed by the opening and closing of the garage door.
Chain Drive
Chain-driven garage openers have a metal chain that drives the door trolley. Chain drives are usually the least expensive opener option, making them desirable for anyone on a budget. However, the metal chain the opener uses can be extremely loud, making this the noisiest garage opener option.
While the chain drive is inexpensive, its loud design best fits detached garages. Garages connected to the house are often close to living and sleeping areas, and the chain drive might disturb people in these spaces.
Side Mount Motor
The side mount motor is the most straightforward garage door opener. It has no belt, threaded rod or chain — instead, the motor directly moves the trolley to open and close the garage door. This makes for a quiet, streamlined garage door operation. With the fewest number of moving parts of all drives, it’s the lowest maintenance.
Due to its quietness, level of maintenance and the low number of moving parts, the side mount motor is perfect for all garages and homes. Regardless of your home or garage’s size and layout, the side mount motor is low disturbance and easy maintenance.
Horsepower Ratings for Garage Door Openers
Horsepower (HP) is the force that moves the garage door. The larger and heavier an overhead door is, the more force it needs to move. The size, number and weight of your garage doors determine the HP your opener needs to operate the doors smoothly and efficiently. HP for garage door openers usually ranges from ⅓ to 1 ½. Here’s a quick summary of HP and door size pairings:
- ⅓ HP: Single-car garages can get away with openers at the lowest end of the HP scale. However, getting a slightly higher horsepower than necessary can reduce the strain on your opener and make garage door operation easier.
- ½ HP: This amount of HP is enough to operate sectional two-car garages for everyday functions.
- ¾ – 1 ½ HP: For larger garages with high-tech overhead door openers, you’ll want ¾ HP or more. You’ll especially want to consider going above ¾ HP if you use your garage frequently.
The Anatomy of a Garage Door Opener
Just like the garage door itself, a garage door opener has its own specific parts. The different parts of the opener work together to ensure the smooth, safe operation of your garage door so that you have an accessible, convenient entrance to your garage. Understanding the opener’s components will help you identify issues associated with opener problems and gives you complete knowledge of all the parts of your garage.
Opener Remote
The opener remote activates the motor of the drive unit. Remotes can be hardwired to the inside of your garage or wireless, so you can automatically open your garage door with ease. Wired remotes stay connected to the garage through wires and allow you to open the door by pushing a button inside or outside the garage.
Numerical keypads require a code to open the garage door. Set a numerical code and punch it in whenever you need to get into the garage. The door will only open when the correct code is entered into the keypad.
Wireless remotes are kept in cars or on keychains — they let the owner open the garage door from up to 20 feet away. Wireless remotes are great for convenient car parking since you won’t need to get out of the car to open the garage door. There are also smart garage door openers that work from your phone, giving you the convenience of a wireless opener from your smartphone.
Drive Unit
The drive unit is the box installed in your garage ceiling. It’s the main part of the garage opener. Inside the box is the motor that runs your garage door opener and initiates the opening and closing movements.
Horizontal Track
The horizontal track guides the garage door as it moves, allowing your garage door to sit along the ceiling and move back down to close with ease.
Chain
The garage door chain does a bulk of the lifting and holds the weight of your heavy garage door as it moves. Once the motor starts running, the chain lifts your garage door and pulls it along the rail so that it moves along the ceiling.
Pick-Up Arm
The pick-up arm is a smaller component that helps connect the garage door to the garage door opener. A strut must be installed along the top panel of the garage door so that the pick up arm can connect to the door. The arm helps lift and guide the garage door.
Bracket
Your garage door needs something to connect it to the garage door opener. The bracket is the connector for the system. It sits on the surface of the garage door and the pick-up arm, joining the door with the opening system.
Photo Eyes
Photo eye sensors prevent the automatic garage door from closing on people, pets and objects. These garage door sensors help prevent the door from closing on anything. One sensor is installed at the bottom of the garage door. If anything breaks this sensor’s line as the door closes, the door will stop closing and roll back up.
The other type of photo eye sensor uses an unseen line to prevent accidents. The photo eyes sit along the vertical garage door track facing each other, projecting an invisible beam. If the beam is crossed during door closing, it will auto-reverse to prevent injury. Both sensors prevent people and objects from getting stuck under the heavy garage door and should be checked regularly to ensure they’re working correctly.
Emergency Release Rope
The emergency release rope is essential to the garage door opening system. The emergency release rope is a red rope that dangles from the garage pick-up arm. If your garage door opener ever malfunctions or stops working, you can still open and close the door with the emergency rope. If there’s a power outage or your system stops working correctly, you can temporarily use the rope to get around the problem.
Some garage doors also have a keyhole that lets you use the emergency release from the outside. To use it, insert and turn the key, then pull out to pull on the rope. After this, simply lift the garage door up.
How Does a Garage Door Opener Work?
There are many different parts to your garage door opening system which can make your opener seem more complex than it actually is. The overhead door opener is simply a radio transmission system. Pushing the button on your remote or typing the code into a keypad sends a code to the receiver. The transmitter and receiver are on the same frequency as each other, so the receiver only gets signals from its transmitter.
Possible Reasons Your Garage Door Opener Stops Working
Even with proper care, garage door openers can suddenly stop working. Finding the source of the problem can help you decide whether you need minor or major repairs and will help get your garage system working again. Follow these garage door opener troubleshooting tips to help narrow down the cause of the issue:
Dead Remote Batteries
If you’re pressing your opener remote, but nothing happens, its batteries might be at fault. First, try to open the door with the wall panel. If it opens and closes correctly, your remote’s batteries probably have died.
Remote Signal Blocked
Another reason the opener doesn’t respond to the remote is a blocked signal. If you’ve recently replaced the batteries on your remote, check to make sure it’s not a disrupted signal. To test this, stand less than 20 feet away from your garage opener. If it still isn’t working, examine the opener’s antennae. Clear out any debris from the antennae and ensure it’s unbroken and pointing towards the door. If you see antennae damage, contact a professional so they can evaluate the system.
Lock Button On
Another reason the opener might stop working involves your garage’s lock button. If the lock button on the wall-mounted panel is engaged, your opener won’t work. That can happen when someone accidentally engages the button while using the wall-mounted panel.
Garage Door Won’t Close Completely
Broken springs, damaged cables and blocked tracks can all cause interference that prevents the door from closing completely. Additionally, your door might not close due to malfunctioning sensors. If the safety sensors are misaligned or malfunctioning, they could register and object in the door’s path — even when there isn’t anything there.
What to Do if Your Garage Door Opener Stops Working
You can solve some of your garage door problems yourself. Contact a professional if smaller, less-dangerous fixes don’t work or you feel uncomfortable doing it on your own. Garage doors are extremely heavy, and their components are dangerous if you aren’t an expert at what you’re doing. Always turn to professionals for repairs to keep yourself and your property safe.
If you have minor garage door issues, you can probably perform the fixes yourself. Swapping out remote batteries, disengaging the lock button, removing objects from the door’s path and clearing debris from the garage tracks are easy tasks you can do on your own. You can also lubricate rollers and tighten loose nuts and bolts if you feel comfortable with your garage door.
Sometimes, however, the solution to your problem isn’t easy or obvious. Call a garage door repair service if you can’t find the source of the issue or if the fix is a bigger task than swapping out remote batteries. Garage door technicians have the skills and knowledge to diagnose and fix your garage door opener safely and correctly.
Explore Residential Garage Door Openers from Continental Door
Improve the safety and convenience of your Spokane, Washington home with Continental Door’s high-quality garage door openers. We carry a variety of Linear and LiftMaster openers, including MyQ-compatible models that connect to your smartphone. Along with our top-of-the-line garage door opener models, we offer 24-hour emergency garage door repair services to ensure you always have access to your garage.
With over 15 years of experience in garage doors, you can rely on our experts for better garage door security and services. To request a service or free estimate, contact us online and improve your garage door quality today!
Benefits and Advantages of Wood Garage Doors
Many different garage door materials are available for a brand-new residential garage door. Wood doors offer plenty of advantages to your home, increasing resale value and enhancing its overall curb appeal. Check out the benefits of a wood garage door to determine if it’s the right fit for your property.
Benefits and Advantages of Wood Garage Doors
Wood is a timeless, energy-efficient material that can accommodate any budget. Check out these pros of wood garage doors to learn more about why you should invest in one for your property.
1. Wood Garage Doors Come With Custom Design Options
One of the most appealing features of wooden garage doors is that they come in various styles and colors to complement the outside of your home. Authentic wooden panels have unique graining patterns as special as a human fingerprint. Choose from a wide selection of colors, finishes and panel styles that go with your home’s architectural design.
Wood is also easy to paint or stain if you’d rather have a non-natural color. Consider making your garage door the same color as your entry door to complete your house’s overall aesthetic.
Besides colors, wood garage doors also come in custom sizes and panel shapes to create whatever you need for your home. If you can imagine it, a garage door professional can design it. Wood complements various architectural designs, from traditional to contemporary to modern. Since wood tends to have a timeless design, it’ll always be in style.
2. Wood Garage Doors Are Affordable for Any Budget
Since wooden garage doors offer many customization options, they’re available at different prices. Lightweight doors tend to be less expensive, while sturdier, more durable doors come at a higher price. Either way, you can find a high-quality, affordable garage door made of wood, no matter what you’re looking to spend.
Even if you choose a higher-end wood garage door, you’ll end up saving money in the long run. Wood garage doors of all varieties are durable, and it’s easy to replace one broken panel instead of changing out the entire garage door.
The material itself is also a natural insulator, so it’ll regulate your home’s temperature and save you money on energy use. A wooden door can also save money because it stays in style and can withstand most damage, so you won’t have to replace it as often as other types.
3. Wood Garage Doors Are Resistant to Dents and Easy to Replace
Wooden garage doors are usually resistant to wear and tear, such as dents, scuffs or dings, because of their resistance to impact damage. As long as you maintain your door throughout the years to protect it against moisture and other types of weather, it can look new for a long time and hold up against the elements of your local area.
Besides their resistance to wear and tear, wooden garage doors are also easier to repair. Some garage door materials require a whole door replacement if there’s any sign of damage. On the other hand, an expert technician can fix part of your wood door without investing in a brand-new one.
4. Wood Garage Doors Are Ecologically Friendly
Wooden garage doors are an eco-friendly choice for garage door material. Wood is renewable, naturally occurring material, so having a wooden garage door has a positive impact on the environment. Since wood garage doors last a long time, you can keep the same garage door instead of using more resources to create a new one.
Garage door manufacturers should follow “green” guidelines to ensure that they make the best use of their resources. Discuss your options for eco-friendly wood with your local garage door distributor. You can have peace of mind that your wooden garage door will reduce the size of your carbon footprint.
5. Wood Garage Doors Feature Natural Insulation
Besides being made from an eco-friendly material, wood garage doors are also energy efficient. Even though wood naturally insulates your property, garage door manufacturers also add layers of polyurethane or polystyrene insulation between two wood panels to enhance the door’s energy efficiency. Along with the energy savings that come from investing in an insulated wooden garage door, this material also puts less strain on your HVAC system.
If you’re looking for an energy-efficient door, go over your insulation options with your local garage door distributor. Since your garage door will have extra insulation, your garage and ultimately your entire living space will be more comfortable throughout the whole year. You can also have peace of mind storing temperature-sensitive items in your garage with an insulated garage door.
Choosing Continental Door
Continental Door is a commercial and residential garage door distributor in the Spokane, WA, area. We provide the following Clopay® wooden garage door collections for your selection:
- CLASSIC™ WOOD: Clopay’s CLASSIC WOOD garage doors feature beautiful natural wood, including cedar, hemlock or redwood construction. Each door is handcrafted with flush, traditional raised or recessed panels that complement your home’s architecture and design. Choose a door with a color and style that enhances your property’s curb appeal.
- RESERVE® WOOD CUSTOM series: Our RESERVE WOOD CUSTOM garage doors give you the utmost freedom to create the wooden garage door of your dreams. Sketch a design of your door with the color, windows, size and style you desire, and we’ll make it happen.
- RESERVE® WOOD LIMITED EDITION series: The wooden carriage house garage doors in the LIMITED EDITION series blend the convenience of an automatic overhead door and historical charm. Choose from eight carriage house designs in one of many wood species, colors and window panels to complement your home’s traditional or Craftsman architectural style.
- RESERVE® WOOD MODERN series: Our RESERVE WOOD MODERN garage door series features simple forms and clean lines to accent the wood’s natural beauty. Combine different tones, materials and shapes to design an eye-catching contemporary garage door that complements the wooden decorative elements throughout your home’s exterior.
- RESERVE® WOOD SEMI-CUSTOM series: The wooden garage doors in the RESERVE WOOD SEMI-CUSTOM series feature authentic carriage house styles designed by hand to provide your home with an automatic overhead door with old-world charm. Choose from three wood species, six carriage house designs and several window shapes to complement your home’s exterior.
To try out different styles or to envision how your new garage door will look on your home, use Clopay’s innovative Door Imagination System tool.
Contact Us to Learn More Today
A brand-new wooden garage door adds value to your home because of its warmth, timeless beauty and cost-effectiveness. Continental Door offers many different garage door types for homeowners in the Spokane, WA area. For more information about our inventory or to request an estimate, contact us online or call 509-921-2260.
How to Maintain Your Coeur d’Alene Garage Door
Your garage door makes up as much as a third of your home’s exterior, and most of the time, it goes unnoticed. A few pieces of regular maintenance can keep your door running smoothly and return massive benefits.
A properly fitted and functioning garage door keeps your home safer. Ensuring a proper seal prevents rain, snow and small creatures from finding their way into your garage. Maybe most importantly, maintenance also helps you avoid costly future repairs.
Helpful Tips to Maintain Your Garage Door
When it comes to anticipating your door’s maintenance needs early, the first key is to pay attention. Keep your eyes and ears open when you use your garage door. Is it still moving smoothly? Does it operate quietly? Does everything seem to be placed properly and symmetrically?
The second key is to make sure you’re staying on top of regular garage door maintenance. Here are five things you can do to extend the life of your door.
1. Examine and Tighten the Hardware
As your garage door opens and closes, the movement causes vibrations that can loosen screws and bolts over time. Check the tracks and hinges and use a socket wrench to tighten up any loose ones you find. Be sure not to over tighten them.
You should also check for bent hinges that need to be straightened or replaced. You can replace the hinges yourself — be sure that the door is locked in the “down” position and only remove one hinge at a time — or call a professional to replace them.
2. Test the Balance
Make sure your door is balanced correctly to get the longest possible life out of its parts.
Disconnect the door from the opener and ensure you can only open it manually. Then, open the door halfway and release it.
A balanced door will stay in place. If it slips down, there is likely an issue with the springs. Make a service appointment with a qualified professional to have them repaired or adjusted.
3. Inspect Rollers and Cables
You should inspect the rollers, or the wheels that run along the tracks, twice a year. Damaged rollers can wear out your opener, so it’s best to replace them at least every seven years, though they may need replacing sooner. Check for bent shafts, worn-out bearings or broken wheels. You can remove and reinstall any roller brackets that aren’t attached to the cable system.
Regularly check the door’s cables for wear, especially near the bottom roller bracket. If you find any rust, damage or frayed strands, always call a qualified professional to repair or replace them.
4. Lubricate Moving Parts
Another twice-a-year task you can do to keep your garage door running smoothly is to lubricate all of the moving parts.
Use white lithium grease for the screw or chain in your opener. You can use a simple spray lubricant for all other parts. It’s best to use something formulated for garage doors rather than an all-purpose lubricant.
When it comes to the rollers, it’s important to remember that you should only lubricate steel rollers.
5. Clean the Tracks and Door
Clean tracks will keep your rollers in shape and help your opener run smoothly. You can use a Shop-Vac to clear away loose dirt and debris, then wipe the components down with a damp cloth or shop rag.
You’ll also want to make sure the door itself stays clean to maximize your curb appeal. Regularly check for peeling or chipped paint, rust spots or water damage. To keep it looking its best, wash your garage door with a gentle all-purpose cleaner whenever you wash your car.
Choosing the Best Garage Doors in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho
The right garage door will enhance the beauty of your home while also increasing its value. Beyond the boost in curb appeal, an expertly installed high-quality door will help keep your home secure. The precise fit and built-in insulation will even keep your energy costs down, keeping your home warmer in winter and cooler in summer.
If you’re looking for a new garage door, Continental Door has Coeur d’Alene’s best selection of Clopay® doors. Our specialists will work with you to determine your budget, needs and design preferences and help you find the perfect garage door to fit your home.
Whether you want a contemporary or vintage design, clean simplicity or nostalgic inspiration, you’ll find what you’re looking for at Continental Door. We have a variety of materials to suit your preferences, including doors made of:
- Wood
- Steel
- Glass and aluminum
- Multi-layer composites
You can also customize your door to your specifications. Choose the color, window style and hardware design that will suit your new door best and make it truly yours.
Your Source for Garage Door Openers in Coeur d’Alene
Once you’ve found your perfect door, you’ll need a high-quality garage door opener to keep it working at peak performance. Continental Door has a selection of the best brands, including Linear® and LiftMaster®.
Powerful and quiet, Linear garage door openers are a safe, home-friendly choice. They use radio frequency remote controls to keep noise and vibration down even when lifting heavier doors.
LiftMaster garage door openers are energy efficient, durable and convenient. These openers come equipped with MyQ® technology, which can let you use your smartphone or smartwatch as your garage door opener. The MyQ® app also connects to other smart home devices.
Continental Door: Your Coeur d’Alene Garage Door Experts
Our team is here to do more than sell you doors. We’re also here to help with what you need. We have all the skills and resources to be your primary source for garage door services in Coeur d’Alene, with:
- Installation: Continental Door’s installation experts are here to install your beautiful new door, even if you bought it somewhere else. We’ll also haul your old door away after your installation’s finished.
- Service and repair: While you can handle aspects of your garage door maintenance yourself, some areas require an expert. For your safety, you should always call a qualified professional for issues with bent tracks, springs or cables. A Continental Door, we offer repair services for both garage doors and openers, as well as 24/7 emergency garage services in Coeur d’Alene.
- Parts in stock: Our service team keeps a supply of the best-functioning parts so we can get your repairs started right away. We have the hardware, motor parts and drive components to get your door or opener up and running right away.
Contact Continental Door, Co. for Garage Door Services
Whether you’re in the market for a beautiful new garage door or looking for the best Coeur d’Alene services for repairs or installation, Continental Door is here to help. Check out our selection of Clopay doors to find one that’s perfect for your home.
Questions? Give us a call at 509-921-2260, or you can contact us online. You can also request a free estimate or fill out a service request on our website.
