Guide to Buying the Best Garage Door Opener

Did you know that an average garage door opens between 3 to 5 times each day? This means that in a year, the door could open around 1,500 times! To ensure that your garage door opens and closes without a hassle, you need a good garage door opener. But not any garage door opener will do. Garage doors can be extremely heavy, so having an opener that is not suitable for your door can lead to damage to the door and even injuries, say experts at J&J Garage Door and Electric Openers, leading services for garage door repair in Huntley.

So, how do you choose the perfect garage door opener? Here are some things to consider. 

The Different Drive Options

A number of drive systems are available for garage openers. Here are the features of each of them. 

• Chain Drive Opener

In this system, a metal chain on a sprocket is used for lifting and lowering the garage door. Chain door openers are highly durable and affordable. The disadvantage of this system is that they can be noisy. 

• Screw Drive Openers

Here, a long, threaded metal rod is used as a screw for lifting and closing the garage door. This system has very few moving parts, making it very reliable. When it comes to noise, they are quieter than chain drive systems, but not completely silent. Their main drawback is that they require a lot of maintenance. 

• Drive Belt Openers

In this, a rubber-like belt is used for closing and opening the garage doors. These are the quietest since there aren’t many metal parts in this system. It is better to go with direct current belt openers. Their starting and stopping mechanism is very smooth, making them extremely quiet. If you want a drive belt opener, then there are plenty of high-quality garage door opener and installation services in Huntley that can help you with it. 

• Direct Drive Openers

These openers contain an overhead rail and a chain. But instead of the chain, the motor moves along a track. This keeps the noise level of this opener down. They also tend to be very reliable, since there aren’t many moving parts except for the motor. 

Horsepower

The horsepower of the garage door opener decides its lifting power. In case of residential openers, the horsepower generally varies from 0.5 to 1.5 horsepower. A 0.5 horsepower motor is generally sufficient for a sectional double-car garage door. But in case of one-piece wood doors or insulated doors, a more powerful motor would be needed. Choosing less than recommended power can lead to breakdown of the motor quickly. 

AC vs DC

There are 2 types of motors for garage door openers available in the market, AC and DC. DC motors were earlier limited to just belt drives, but now manufacturers offer them in other drive types as well. DC motors are generally more expensive, although they offer the advantage of soft start and stop. This means the drive starts smoothly and comes to a gradual halt. This reduces the noise level and also shakes the ground less. 

These tips can help you choose the best opener for your garage door. But it is recommended to enlist the help of experienced garage door openers & installation service providers, such as those in Huntley.