When it comes time to decide on your new garage door opener, you want to consider all of your options. Most of us are not even aware of the different types that are available to them. There are in fact three different kinds for you to choose from. Each of them giving you distinct advantages over the other and each of them ideal for a variety of homes.
The three different types that you can choose from are shown below. Read on to decide which garage door opener is right for you!
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Chain Drive Garage Door Openers
A chain drive opener is the most commonly found on the market. Designed with a chain mechanism to pull and push the trolley. Your trolley is what moves your garage door up and moves it down.
Chain drives are the most affordable openers you will find, and are by far the most dependable. There is a reason why they are the most commonly found doors. They work efficiently, and the maintenance for them is easily performed—and rarely needed.
One of the only negatives that these types may have is their noise level. Because they are a chain mechanism and made of steel, if they are not adequately lubricated—they can become squeaky. It is suggested that they are used on garages that are not connected to your home for that reason, but we do not see why you cannot just apply the right lubricant to fix this issue.
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Belt Drive Garage Door Openers
A belt drive opener utilizes a belt rather than a chain to move your garage doors trolley up and down. These openers work efficiently and when compared to a chain drive, have little to no noise level. Because of the materials used to make these and their performance, these types of openers are typically more expensive.
However, in our opinion, they can be well worth the money spent. Ideally used for any garage that is connected directly to your home.
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Screw Drive Garage Door Openers
The third and final type of garage door opener use a thread steel rod to position your door up and down. These types of doors use fewer parts and pieces than the other two that we have listed. Since this type uses fewer components, it requires much less maintenance than a chain or belt drive.
However, a screw drive opener can operate a much slower pace. With the mechanism requiring to screw up and down rather than pull. This results in more work and therefore more time. A screw drive also produces higher noise levels than you would find with a drive belt, but not as high as a chain drive. You can use these types on either a detached or attached garage.
Additional Safety Tips To Consider
Choosing the type of garage door opener that is the best fit for you and your home is only the start. Once you have selected and hired a professional garage door installer, you need to ensure that it is installed correctly.
Check the following to guarantee you and your families safety.
→ Test your garage door sensor for proper operation by lifting your door and then lowering it. Your sensor shoots a beam that is invisible to the human eye across your garage doorway. If anything crosses this beam when the door is dropping, it will automatically sense it and reverse its operation. Move your foot or place an object across it to see that it is functioning.
→ Test your garage doors battery backup system. This system is in place to operate your garage door opener when the power goes out. Some garage doors will have a manual setting that you can perform, but most require power. Check your battery backup system so that your door is not stuck in one position during a power outage.