Garage door openers are available in a range of options and your priorities will help you determine the right one for your home. It’s important that you get your selection right the first time because replacing your garage door openers will make the entire process costlier.
Choosing the right garage door openers doesn’t have to be a challenging task, even if it’s your first-time shopping for one. You just need to know the key considerations to make. With that in mind, here are a few of the crucial aspects to consider when selecting garage door openers.
THE DRIVE OPTIONS
The drive is what aids the movement of your garage door when opening and closing. The major drive options include chain, belt, and screw drives.
Chain Drives
Chain drives are usually the most common. These openers have a metal chain that drives the trolley that in turn raises or lowers your garage door. The key advantages of chain-drive garage door openers include the fact that they are highly durable and are some of the most cost-effective options in the market. However, they are also among the noisiest. Therefore, if you prefer something quieter, you will have to consider other options.
Screw Drives
Screw-drive openers are slightly more expensive and less noisy than their chain-drive counterparts. With these drives, the lifting mechanism of your garage door will be moved by a threaded metal rod, usually steel.
Belt Drives
On the other hand, belt-drive garage door openers, unlike chain- and screw-drive openers, rely on a belt instead of a metal chain or a steel rod to move the trolley. That’s why belt-drive openers usually have the smoothest and quietest operation. Therefore, if you have sleeping or living spaces adjacent to your garage, this would be a good choice.
These garage door openers also have fewer mechanical parts, which means maintenance needs will be quite low. On the downside, however, they are the most expensive of the three options.
THE POWER OPTIONS: AC OR DC MOTOR?
You should also decide whether you want a garage door opener with an AC or DC motor.
AC motors are usually cheaper than their DC counterparts. Most of the chain-drive garage door openers will have an AC motor. DC motors, on the other hand, are mostly found on belt-drive openers. DC openers tend to be quieter because of their soft start as well as stop feature. Also, high-end models of DC openers will, in most cases, have a backup battery option, which is something you will want if you live in a region prone to power outages.
The layout of your garage will help guide your decision. Low to no headroom or not enough backroom can all influence which type of door opener you can or cannot have installed in your garage. If you’re looking to upgrade or install a garage door opener, Smokey’s can walk you through your available options based on what fits best and what modern features interest you most. Schedule a service appointment or call us directly.
