Garage Door Opener Parts

Understanding Garage Door Opener Parts

Many homeowners look on the Internet for garage door replacement parts for do-it-yourself repair and maintenance jobs. But before you take on any garage door opener repair, it's crucial you have a solid understanding of which garage door parts are safe for non-technical folks to work on and which parts should be left to the professionals.

Don’t Touch Garage Door Springs

To be completely safe, don't touch any part that involves the springs. Especially when the door is lowered. The garage doors springs are under a tremendous amount of pressure. This is what makes it possible for the springs to raise the door when you want it opened.

Severe injury and even death have occurred when a spring gets loose or breaks.

And unless you are very adept with electrical work, it's best to leave a motor repair to a professional.

If you decide to work on the frame or garage door roller, you will need to perform this with extreme care because both the frame and rollers require precise alignment that can easily be overlooked by someone that is not used to repairing or installing garage doors.

Jobs that can be safely done include changing the remote control batteries or relocating a wired opener around a wall. You can also purchase replacement garage door opener parts on the Internet. Use your owner's manual to verify part numbers and specifications to make sure new parts match the original parts that came with your garage door.

More involved repairs should be reserved for a qualified technician. Your best choice is probably the company that originally did the garage door installation. If this isn't possible, call or check online for a trusted and reliable technician.

How Garage Door Opener Parts Work Together

Power Head

The first major part is the power head. This is either a plastic or metal encasing that houses the motor, control mechanism, and electrical connection. Many times the power head also has a light on its outside surface.

Drive Mechanism

A rubber or chain belt is usually the garage door opener drive mechanism. The drive is moved along a rail, which pulls the carriage back and forth in order to raise and lower the garage door.

Rail Assembly

The rail assembly supports the drive mechanism. It can either be one or several pieces. The rail assembly provides a track for the carriage assembly.

Rail Header Bracket

The rail header bracket fastens the rail to the wall above the garage door. This bracket must be securely mounted to prevent the garage door from falling out of place.

Carriage Assembly

The carriage assembly shifts power from the drive mechanism to the garage door by way of the arm. A release chord is typically part of the carriage assembly. This enables the door to be opened in the event of an electrical outage.