Having a garage is something that every homeowner should have if they have the space and money for one. This is because it is the best way to protect your car. It keeps the elements off of the car so it doesn’t get damaged by the heat or cold. In addition, you also have a lot of extra room for storage or even a small workshop to do some woodworking or repairs.
The key to the whole operation is having a good door opener for the garage. There are different types of them so it pays to understand the differences so you know which one is right for you. After all, the best garage door opener is going to look different for different people and different garages. In this article, we will go over what to look for in a garage door opener so you can get the right one for your needs.
1 – Drive type
There are many different mechanisms used by various garage door openers that work to open the door. These are called drives. There are three main types although they can vary a bit between them.
- Chain Drive – A chain drive works just the same as a bicycle. There is a chain that connects two different gears so when the gear that is connected to the motor turns, it turns the other one. These are usually placed on the ceiling and connected to the door that is then able to open and close. This is the most inexpensive drive but it can be tricky to maintain as it needs to be lubricated regularly.
- Belt drive – This drive works exactly like the chain drive, only instead of a chain, it has a rubber belt. The gears work exactly the same and the process is identical. The difference is that it doesn’t have to be lubricated and maintained like a chain. It is also quieter.
- Screw drive – This drive has the fewest moving parts and the smallest profile. If you are short on space then this is a good option. It works by rotating a threaded steel rod that moves the garage door.
There are a number of different reasons to pick one over another but this should at least give you an overview of how the doors operate.
2 – Lifting power
Every door is going to have a certain amount of weight based on the material it is made out of. The door opener has to correspond to that by having enough horsepower to be able to lift the door.
Most garage doors are made out of wood and can be heavy as a result. In this case, look for an opener that is at least 0.75 horsepower to have enough lifting power.
3 – Noise
The noisiest drive is the screw drive version as it has a lot of metal-on-metal action. The quietest is the belt drive since it is made of rubber and muffles the sound. In between is the chain drive. If noise is an issue then you should keep those factors in mind when choosing.
