Types of Garage Door Openers

Posted by Support GDN on

Types of Garage Door Openers

Garage door openers are the type of device that you don't think about that much unless there's a problem. It could be that it makes too much noise, disrupting the lives of other household members, or the issue could be more severe - the mechanism could stop working altogether. If you would like to buy a new one, it would be useful for you to learn about different types of garage door openers first, so that you could choose the most fitting type.

Remember that no one type is better than the others - it really depends on what you prioritize the most. Although it all eventually boils down to a simple goal - opening the garage door - different types of garage door openers achieve it differently. Below you will find information on how different garage door openers work, and what are their disadvantages and advantages.

Chain Drive Garage Door Openers

chain drive garage door opener

Although chain drive garage door openers are an older piece of technology than their belt counterparts, it doesn't mean that it's worse. Chain drive garage door openers are the only type that can handle the heaviest doors due to their superior lifting capacity. On top of that, if you don't forget about their maintenance, they usually outlast belt chain garage openers. However, if you don't properly take care of them, the chain will rust, and their lifespan will be shorter than that of other types.

Another thing that we should mention is their price - they are typically the cheapest of all available options. Before you decide to get one, you should consider the distance between your garage and bedroom. Why? Unfortunately, chain garage door openers are the noisiest of them all, which means that if you, or someone from your family regularly comes home pretty late, the chain drive could wake up others. The newer types of those devices tend to be less noisy, as the designers have taken the complaints of customers into consideration, but in the end, there are still a lot of metal parts, which means that they are still relatively noisy.

Belt Drive Garage Door Openers

belt drive garage door opener

If your bedroom is in close proximity to your garage, and reducing the noise is your top priority, we recommend getting a belt drive garage door opener. This type makes the least amount of noise of all the available options. Unfortunately, they aren't cheap - actually, quite the contrary. Additionally, not all garage doors are suitable for belt drives, as their lifting capacity isn't as great as that of chain drives. That's why we recommend checking the weight of your garage doors before you decide upon a model.

On the other hand, those garage door openers are decently reliable - there aren't that many moving parts, which means that it is less likely that you'll have to service them. It can somewhat balance out their high cost, as you'll save on the repairs.

Screw Drive Garage Door Opener

screw drive garage door opener

If you are looking for a device that isn't as noisy as chain drive, and that has less moving parts than belt drive, you could get a screw drive instead. Its design is different and simpler than that of the 2 previous types, which means that they are generally pretty reliable, though they also require regular maintenance. They are slightly noisier than the belt drive types, but they won't disturb other household members as much as chain drive ones, while also opening garage doors twice as quickly. We recommend them especially if you have limited space in your garage.

Are there any downsides? They are actually pretty expensive, which is why it's better to choose a different garage door opener type if you are on a tight budget. Additionally, if you forget about regular lubrication and maintenance, they can easily start malfunctioning, and the repairs wouldn't be cheap.

Jackshaft Drive Garage Door Opener

Jackshaft Drive Garage Door Opener

If you are ready to spend quite a lot on a garage door opener, screw drive might be a better choice if you are afraid that you might forget about regular maintenance. They are among the most expensive types, but they are worth their cost. Jackshaft drive garage door openers generate only slightly more noise than belt drive mechanisms, and what's more, they can also help you save some vertical space in your garage, though not as much as in the case of belt drive ones. They are similar to screw drive mechanisms in their relatively simple designs, though the major difference is that if you decide to choose this type, you won't have to deal with regular maintenance, as there are even less moving parts that could be damaged by wear and tear.

If the aesthetic appeal of your garage is to you of utmost importance, we recommend jackshaft drive door openers. On top of that, they are also the newest technology, and most models allow users to connect to them using their smartphones and open them from a far distance. Unfortunately, it also means that if you want to spend as little on a garage door opener as possible, we recommend avoiding jackshaft ones, as they are the most expensive type.

Which Garage Door Opener Is the Best?

If it's the first time you have to decide which type of a garage door opener would suit you best, you might feel a little intimidated by a number of models available on the market. Although what you want is pretty simple - to find a mechanism that will open and close your garage door, we recommend not making a hasty decision. It's true that no matter which type you choose - the one using a belt, chain, jackshaft, or screw drive, its primary function will be the same.

Unfortunately, not every mechanism might be suitable for your garage door. Some of them take up more space, whereas others don't have enough lifting capacity for the heavier types of door. Additionally, despite their price, we wouldn't recommend getting a chain drive door opener if minimizing the noise is your number one priority. However, we cannot say that one particular type of a garage door opener is superior to others - it really depends on what you value the most.

We hope that after reading this article, choosing a model that would suit you best will be easier and that you'll be happy with your decision. If you have any questions, feel free to contact us, and we'll be happy to help you!

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