Welcome to the future of garage door parts!  This opener, made by a European company called Sommer, is leading the way of the future.

The Sommer ¾ HP 500 Garage Door Opener is equipped with new technology called the Direct Drive.  It has one moving part.  There is no chain or belt attached to it.  The result: the noise from the chain, screws and belts is almost totally removed.

New homeowners might not appreciate this feature as much as people who have owned their house for several years.  When some garages open the neighbors a couple blocks down can hear it.

How does it work?

There is a stationary chain embedded into a steel rail. The motor slides quietly along it when it is opening or closing the door. You also do not have to worry about a chain sagging down to hit you in the head as it the door is moving up or oiling several different movable parts.

This model comes equipped with an internal motion detection device and safety sensors for the well-being off everyone around.

With a ¾ HPS motor you will have a powerful lifting force at your disposal. The Direct Drive technology is one of its kinds.  Not only is it durable but it does not require any maintenance whatsoever.

Should you live in a house that has a sloped driveway or find that your garage floor is very uneven then  then the Tsunami Seal with also prevent condensation from seeping under your door.

Live in the woods? in an area that has wildlife you love but would not want coming inside your house?  This product is also made to keep out smaller animals and insects like mice, rats, bugs and snakes.

Besides keeping unwanted things out this garage door seal allows your garage interior to stay cooler in the summer time and warmer in the wintertime.  All your heat will stay inside during the cold months and all your cool air with stay in when the sun is blistering outside. Your energy costs should decrease with the purchase of this item.

The Tsunami Seal Garage Door Threshold Seal is manufactured to work with all types of garage doors.  You should be able to install this item no matter which brand you have. Roll up doors, hinged doors and walk through doors are all compatible with this item.

Each one of these kits include the one piece Threshold Seal, two cartridges of Liquid Nails Ultra DutyTM Poly Adhesive, a metal caulking gun and color installation instructions. Please make you save your receipt because it comes with a Lifetime Warranty.

• Heavy duty (10,000 cycles) extension springs have double loop ends for extra durability
• 1/8 In. Security cable included
• Installed through springs to prevent injury in case of breakage
• 2 springs will lift a door weighing 110 lbs
• MFG Brand Name : Prime-Line
• MFG Model # : GD 12193
• MFG Part # : GD 12193

During the course of a typical day slush, grime, motor oil, mud and various other particles of debris from roads and highways are tracked into your garage.  Every time your car rolls inside it brings these things with it.

Over time it builds up into a giant pool of filth and usually gets tracked into the interior of your home via foot traffic.

The Park Smart Heavy Duty 50-mil Clean Park 7.5 ft. x 22 ft. Garage Mat seeks to eliminate this problem.  By purchasing this product you can effectively keep all of your walk areas dry and clean.  It serves as a “floor mat” for your garage space.

A convenient feature about this particular garage mat is that is is made from highly durable 50-mil vinyl so you can depend on it lasting a long time.

Additionally, it comes with raised plastic edges on the outside which serves to hold all water, oil and other liquids from spreading onto the garage surface.

The uniquely engineered Snap-On edges can take a lot of use and is very easy to install, without the aid of tools.  This product comes complete with 24 in. long Snap-On side pieces and 18 in. long Snap-On end pieces.  A one year warranty is offered with the Part Smart Heavy Duty Garage Mat so please retain your receipt should you need to exchange it or return it.

• Catches every drop of mud, slush and grime
• Keeps your garage and home clean and safe
• Helps prevents slips and falls
• Super strong, raised Snap-On edges are fast and easy to install
• 50-mil PVC sheeting
• Comes with 24 in. long Snap-On PVC side pieces and 18 in. long Snap-On PVC end pieces
• Assembly Required
• 1 Year Limited Warranty
• U.S. Patent # 6,258,430
• Made in USA
• MFG Brand Name : Park Smart
• MFG Model & Part # : 70722

The Genie Powerlift Excelerator Screw-Drive Garage Door Opener is made to provide a homeowner is maximum lifting force without having to worry about belts or gears wearing out.  It is made from a high quality solid steel screw drive design that many people have really liked.

How much power does it have?  This model comes equiped with an .50 HP motor which allows it to pull a garage open 2X the speed as other garage door openers.  Additionally, this particular Genie model comes stocked with a self diagnotic Safe-T-Beam system and an Intellicode access system for increased security.

Here are its standard features in bullet form:

• Smooth and quiet screw-drive operation
• 0.5 HP drive system opens garage doors up to twice as fast as other openers,
  closes at standard speed
• Self-diagnostic Safe-T-Beam system
• Intellicode access security system helps prevent unauthorized access to
  garage
• Includes two 3-button remotes, deluxe wall console and wireless keypad
• Manufactured by Genie
• MFG Model # : H8000-07
• MFG Part # : 36320R

These sensors project light beam across the inside of the garage door.  It is invisible to the human eye. If anything gets in its path and it detects any movement, coming or going, then it immediately reverses the door before anyone or anything is damaged.

Here are its standard features:

• Replaces defective or damaged sensors
• Detects objects in the path of opening/closing garage door to help prevent
  accidents
• Offers peace of mind and safe operation
• Includes 2 safety sensors, mounting brackets and 18 in. of extension wire
• Manufacturer : Chamberlain
• MFG Model & Part # : 801CB

If safety is of the highest concern for you, your family and the people around you then the Chamberlain Garage Door Opener Replacement Safety Sensors will make a logical purchase.

The most common garage door opener parts that will wear out and need to be replaced out are:

• drums

• cables

• pulleys

• springs (whether they are torsion or extension)

• hinges

• the actual motor

These are the parts on your garage door that receive the most wear and therefore these are the parts that will give out the quickest.

Its wise for a homeowner to do a quick visual inspection of these the parts just mentioned at least once a year.  It really should not take more than 10-15 minutes.

Nevertheless, if they do break down and your should need to replace one of your garage door parts here the the process you should use.

1. Find out which brand and model your garage door is.
2. Evaluate exactly what is causing the problem and if possible write down the model number of that particular garage door part.
3. Call a local garage door dealer in your area and ask if they stock this part.  If they do ask them what it costs.  You might also want to ask how much it would cost to have it installed.  Do not purchase the part just yet.
4. Go to the internet and check out several online garage door opener parts stores and check out their prices.
5. If you can get that particular part significantly cheaper online and can install it yourself then by all means purchase it.
6. If the price is not much cheaper (remember to factor in shipping though garage door parts stores on the internet offer free shipping over a certain dollar amount) or if you cannot install it yourself go to the local dealer.  Just make certain they guarantee their work.  About half of the parts that malfunction on your garage door will be easily fixed with the proper part.  The other half will require the skills and special tools of a garage technician to be done properly.

When you are choosing a garage door company make sure you choose one who has a good reputation in your area, has experience in what they do, recommended by at least three people, and offer some kind of warranty on their work.

However, before you do call a company that specializes in this field you need to make sure you know what they are doing. Failure to do this could result in hiring a garage door opener repair service that not only waste your time but your hard-earned money.

I would start by asking friends, family, coworkers, acquaintances, and real estate agents for recommendations on good garage door companies. Trust you and I say this, you are not the only one with the garage door, and most of the people you know at some point in time has had to call a repairmen to fix this item on their house. These people will be more than happy to give you their thoughts on whether the people they chose to fix their garage or knowledgeable and fair.

So you get a recommendation you call the company. The next thing you want to do is ask a garage door opener repair service for references. If they have been in business for any amount of time they should have happy and pleased customers. Any good company of this nature should be able to provide you with at least three contact references that you can physically call for their opinions.

Another way to see what past customers thought about the service is to look online for reviews. There are tons of home improvement forums and websites that allow consumers to post their thoughts and recommendations about particular businesses and services. Again, if the company you are thinking about doing business with has been business for a couple years there is a huge likelihood somebody on the web will have posted a review about them.

Its now time to get prices and make comparisons. You need to call several garage door service companies and get a quote for the problem you have. Please do not be vague with the consultants on the phone. Be as detailed as possible and describe fully the problem you are having. Most likely they will have somebody come out and check the problem himself. Do not authorize any work to be done unless you have been given an explanation of what all the parts and labor will cost. The estimate should be thorough and detailed. It should outline exactly what you were getting for the price you are paying.

I am not implying that every good garage door repair service is part of his organization but it does not hurt to go with a company listed at the Better Business Bureau. This association tracks a company’s history, its complaints, its customer service, and usually garage door repair services are five times as likely to quickly settle disputes because they want to keep a high rating with the BBB.

We check on this site you can see if they have any unresolved complaints and how recent they were. Every company on the site is given a rating from A to F. keep in mind that even with garage door opener repair services misunderstandings do arise but it is up to a well-run company to at least attempt to resolve most of them (as long as the complaint is not outrageous).

You may live in an area where there are a lot of garage door opener repair services trying to compete for your business. This is not a bad thing because as you know competition brings the price down. But with more companies come the greater need for filtering the good garage repair services from the bad ones. You should take time to locate a well-established and reputable company to avoid further damage in your garage or voiding its warranty.

Personally, I am a huge fan of paying a little more for the most experienced guys out there. I like to exploit experts and believe that though seasoned garage door professionals usually cost more they are more efficient and proficient at what they do. They are able to get the job done the best way and the fastest way so that you can get onto more important matters.

I have a friend who owns a garage door Spokane WA business who has shown me a lot. I fly down there some times and he has guys running all over the place doing repair jobs. I have no idea how is staying so busy. The housing market is supposed to be down. Anyway, from what he told me the homeowners tax stimulus is really paying off. The US government is offering financial incentives to homeowners ($1500 off their federal income taxes) to buy qualifying insulated garage doors. I did not think that was a huge amount at first but a lot of people seem to think that is a really good deal.

Getting the right garage door opener parts when you need them is not easy at all.  It can be really frustrating finding the rights parts you need online because every garage is in some way different and has different components to them from the next one.

Lets try to help you out buy outlining some starting points to help you find the parts you need.

There is nice informative site called US Door Control.  This site is nicely laid out and is very user friendly to navigate.  They have many garage door opener parts for many applications and situations.  There are several sections including troubleshooting, opener instructions, service manuals, and technical assistance.  If you need to know if one garage part will fit another part there is a compatibility chart for you to use with all the major brands like Genie, Lift-Master, Stanley, and Keystone.  Really helpful!  And they have hundreds of parts at wholesale prices for you to pick from.  Excellent site.  I checked their shipping and it was fair and they have a phone number for you to call if you have any problems with your order or you need any sort of help in purchasing garage door opener parts.

I found this other site AAARemotes on another search I did for parts.  It would appear that this particular website specializes in mainly garage door opener remotes.  They have a few other accessories but 95% of their product line is remotes.  They have every sort of brand and model you can think of for any needs you have.  The website is kind of plain but I would say that it is definitely user friendly.  They have two numbers that you can call to get help; one phone number is for sales of garage remotes and the other is for technical issues in operation.

There is another site called ProDoorParts that is a great source for purchasing what you need for your garage door.  I really did like this website out of all of them.  It was very well put together.  They have tons of options and brands here.  They specialize in Wayne Dalton garage door & opener parts and accessories we also have a vast knowledge of all the major brand names that include but not limited to: Liftmaster, Overhead Door, CHI, Clopay, Ideal, Windsor, Ammar, Genie, Craftsman, Stanley, Raynor and Chamberlain garage doors and openers.  Very good site and highly recommended.

The last site I am going to mention is called First Door Parts.  It gets a the job done and their prices are not bad.   They have been around since 1981. The site is not pretty and the layout is totally boring but the information is good.  They should fire the guy who created their template and design but the end result appears to be the same.  They have a standard shipping rate of $6.95 per order which is fair.  You can place your order for any part on their online store on the actual website or you can do it via phone or fax.

Okay so hopefully this helped.  These are four websites that should aid you in finding what you need.  I know that is can be a little frustrating at times finding the right item and not knowing where to go but at least you have someone who can point you in the right direction now.  Come back again for more information on garage door opener parts and get the latest reviews, tips, and secrets pertaining to this home improvement niche.

Here is some weather stripping advice. A common part for any garage door is the threshold.  The long plastic strip is crucial to any garage door set up in any neighborhood in any city.  I have noticed that many people do not have them.  I did not have one until my best friend pointed it out to me the other day.  I was surprised!  Here I have a website that deals with this subject and I do not own a garage door threshold.  They are very important it turns out.  They help keeping out rain, leaves, and snow from inside your garage.  Without it the inside will get littered over time with tons of debris.  They can also keep out rodents as when the door presses down on the weatherstripping it should make an almost air tight seal.

As far as they go it is important to find and purchase the most durable garage door thresholds you can find on the web.  The best ones are made from vinyl and if quality engineered should provide a long lasting barrier between your garage door bottom and the floor.

When you buy a threshold please make certain that you buy extra glue.  I have spoken with several people who have installed them at their houses and they mentioned that there was not enough glue that came with the threshold to install it properly.  Order extra glue when you purchase it or go to the store and get extra.  Also before you apply the glue you want to clean the area underneath before you apply it.  Other than that the instructions are fairly straightforward on most products.

I had a friend by the way that lives in Portland where it can rain a lot.  He always had a problem with water getting into his garage.  He had tried a few items like garage door seals and door adjustments but they did not work too well.  After he installed a threshold he did not have the water problem any longer.  Definitely a good buy.

Another common replacement part, especially for old or worn garage doors, are spring mechanisms.  There are two types.  It will call for a  torsion spring that is mounted on the front wall of the garage just over the door.  Please, and I want to emphasis this, make sure you get professional to relieve the tension before removing the spring to replace it.  Torsion springs can be potentially dangerous and can cause serious injuries if improperly dismantled.

If you have two springs that are mounted over the tracks, they are extension springs, which can be removed safely by just about anyone if they know what they are doing.  All you have to do is measure the length and width of your old door to determine the size of the door you require.  Then measure the area between the top of the door jamb and the ceiling to determine if you have sufficient space for the door you want. Standard 7′-high doors require 10″-12″ of headroom. However, many door manufacturers sell low-headroom kits that allow their doors to operate with as little as 4 1/2″ of headroom. Additional headroom is needed for attachment of an automatic garage door opener

Track hangers are items that will not go out often. The only way that you will usually need to replace them if someone is hanging on your garage door and puts an excessive amount of stress and weight on them to bend them or your track hangers are just very old and have become flimsy.  Honestly its going to be hard to find a complete track hanger online.  You can find tons of components to build one if you really know what you are doing.  Like you can just buy the track.  There are two types: standard and low headroom.  You have the vertical track on both sides of the opening.  The horizontal track is attached to the ceiling.  You would have to measure it to see exactly what you need.  I would just pay someone to come and install it for you if you want to replace this peice though.  Its a lot of work if you do not have the proper tools to do it.

The cable drum can be an item that many people have to replace during the life of their garage.  Basically they are the grooved drums on the torsion spring shaft that lifting cables go or wind around when door is opening and closing.  They can experience a lot of wear depending on who heavy the door is.  What you will probably end up replacing more than anything else is the extension spring cable.  That’s the component that usually wears out.There are many brands out there.  Make sure that the cable is aircraft grade high quality cable.  Many people recommend changing your cables if you ever have to  replace any broken springs on the drum.  Stress caused by a broken spring can transfer undue stress to an already worn out cable and cause it to break which will cause your door to fall off the track.

And a last common item that some people will have to replace most likely do to a baseball or accident is the window lite.  This is the glazed section with various types of glass or clear acrylic to allow for light and visibility.  They can be found on almost any site and in various different forms.

I really hoped that this helped.  If anyone has any questions, comments, or advice about garage door opener parts please let me know.  Use the comment section.  I am always looking for new items or suggestions.  In different parts of the country I am willing to bet that people are coming across different problems and I am interested in knowing what they are.  I have received some excellent feedback so far about this site.   So if you write a comment let me know what state you are from.  I have a friend who works for Overhead so this week I am going to ask him what are some of the top five main problems that people call in for and then post them so that people can a) prevent these things and b) know what to do if these things should happen.  Thanks and take care.