While the garage is a standard feature on today’s homes, it wasn’t always this way. As the team at Thornville Overhead Door in Perry County, OH, explains, the garage door you use today has come a long way since it first became a household necessity. Here’s a look at how garage doors have advanced to become more convenient and reliable than ever.

Early Days

The history of garages and their doors predates the automobile. The first garages were known as carriage houses, which were detached structures built like barns. When the car came along, they were often parked inside these structures, as most vehicles of the time didn’t have closed roofs.

As cars became more widespread, private garages opened in many cities and charged monthly fees for their use. Some companies even offered “portable” garage systems. Unfortunately, none of these options were very convenient, and it wasn’t long before houses were built with attached garages.

Important Advances

While an attached garage was much more convenient, it wasn’t always safe. Your garage door in the 1960s would likely have been made of wood, and it wouldn’t automatically retract if it closed on top of something. This often resulted in damaged vehicles and even injuries and deaths.

Over time, however, garage doors became safer with the introduction of new technologies. Today, mandatory sensors ensure that the garage door will retract if it hits an object while closing, and the introduction of new materials has made the doors lighter and more durable. With these updates, your garage has never been safer.

If your garage door looks like it belongs in the past, contact Thornville Overhead Door. Whether you need overhead door repair work or the installation of a new door opener, their team of experts will use their experience to solve the problem and improve the functionality of your door. To learn more about their installation services or to request a free estimate, visit them online or call (740) 246-5616.