What is a garage door opener?
On average, a garage door opens-and-closes about 1500 times every year, and it is essential to get regular inspections to make sure that all the components of your garage door are working properly. This will ensure your safety, and save you extra money on unneccessary costs.
Moving on, a garage door opener is one of the main components of a garage door system. Without it, your garage door won’t function. A garage door opener has a motor that is operated remotely, or by a wall switch, and its’ main purpose is to open-and-close your garage door.
Garage Door Opener Types
There are several types of garage door openers, each with its’ own features.
Chain drive openers
Chain-drive garage door openers consists of a chain and a trolley. The chain connect the trolley to the opener’s motor to open-and-close your garage door. This type of openers is the oldest and is still most popular. Chain-drive openers is the least expensive among the other types of openers. That’s why a lot of homeowners prefer them. They are known to be durable, even more than belt-drive openers, if maintained properly.
One thing to keep in mind when it comes to chain-drive openers; is that they make loud noise. But other than that, chain-drives are very reliable when it comes to changing temperatures, and weather.
Belt-Drive Openers
It is important to know one of the difference between chain-drive, belt-drive, and screw-drive is what occupies the garage door track. All of them share a trolley that goes along the track up-and-down. As we discussed earlier, in the chain-drive, there is a chain running on the track, but in the belt-drive, there is a belt on the track. The same goes for the screw-drive openers, there is a threaded rod in the track.
Belt-drive garage door openers consists of a belt that is connected to the motor. If you have a garage door that is light-to-moderate in weight, then a belt drive is probably a good choice to go with. A standard 8 x 7 garage door made of 25 gauge of steel, weighs around 75-90 lbs. on the other hand, a 16 x 7 25 gauge steel garage door weighs anywhere between 150-180 lbs. But, if you have an all-glass garage door which weighs abuot 300-400lbs, then this is not the right option for you.
Screw-drive
A screw-drive garage door opener has a threaded rod that is connected to the opener’s motor, and atrolley that is fixed to the garage door’s track. This type of garage door openers has the most complex opening mechanisms among the other types. When the switch is engaged, the garage door opener’s motor starts turning the threaded rod, while the trolley is moving along the rod.
A screw-drive opener would be the best option for you if you have a heavy weight garage door, or a wide one. You have to keep in mind that the screw drive needs to be lubricated frequently for it to stay operating properly. When it comes to noise, this type makes less noise than chain-drive openers, but more noise than belt-drive openers
Which option should you choose?
If you are looking for an affordable garage door opener, that is lowest in price and durable, then a chain-drive opener could be the one you should go with. If you are looking for a garage door that makes the least noise, and is efficient, then belt-drives could fit you more.
At the end, it all comes down to your personal preference. At Garage Door Experts, we are willing to go th extra mile and give you advice and a FREE estimate. Our professional technicians will go more in-depth with you on your personal preferences and needes to guide you on which opener you should install.
