 becomes too slack, but in general, they are hands-off.
If you are on a strict budget or you have a detached garage far from the home (where the noise doesn’t matter), then a chain drive garage door opener may be a good choice for you. But if you’d rather no noise, say because your garage is close to a bedroom or other place that needs quiet, then the chain-drive might not be for you. So we will not review any models of this type as the quiet garage door opener in the following review section. However, if you’re in the first case that said above, we’d highly recommend the Chamberlain PD512 Garage Door Opener as the quiet chain – drive garage door opener. This garage door opener might not be the cheapest option, but it is one of the quietest chain drives.
Belt Drive Garage Door Opener
When it comes to choosing a quiet garage door opener, you can’t really go wrong with this type of garage door opener since it is by far the quietest door opener on the market. These openers are definitely much quieter than chain drive openers and screw drive openers. So if you have living space above or next to a garage and you hate the noise involved with garage doors, this is definitely a good option.
Belt Drive Garage Door Openers function similarly to the chain drive openers, but instead of using a metal chain, they use a rubber belt to accomplish the same goal. Since the openers don’t have the loud, banging metal parts, they provide a quieter and smoother operation. The smoother operation means there’s no jumping off the door and fewer vibrations. Additionally, belt-drive systems have fewer moving parts, resulting in lower maintenance needs.
Another thing that many people like in this type is it’s easy to install. Any drive mechanism whether belt or chain, is going to eventually need replacing. When the time comes, replacing a broken belt is always easier than replacing a broken chain drive.
One disadvantage of belt drive garage door openers is that they often (but not always) cost more than chain drives. However, with the benefits of a quieter, smoother and durable operation, it may be worth the extra expense. These days you can find some quiet belt drive garage door openers that have an affordable price. For example, the Chamberlain WD962KEV Garage Door Opener is a great choice if you want a quiet however still affordable belt drive garage door opener.
Screw Drive Garage Door Opener
A screw drive garage door opener works a little bit differently than a chain drive or belt drive garage door opener. It uses a long metal rod threaded like a screw to move the lifting mechanism. As the rod rotates, it drives the trolley along the track to lower or raise the garage door. Basically, there are fewer moving parts in the screw drives than in the other openers, they tend to be quite reliable and less maintenance.
In terms of noise, a screw drive garage door opener lies somewhere between a chain drive and belt-drive system. They, however, strong and often much faster than either belt or chain drives. So if you have one-piece doors that are up to 8ft high or a large garage door measuring 14 ft. high, then you may want to use these door openers.
Generally, screw drives work well in a constant climate, so they may be a great choice if you live in an area that the temperature is fairly constant throughout the year. But if you live in an area that has hot summers and cold winters, a screw drive will not stand up to drastic temperature change.
If you’re considering to get a screw drive garage door opener, then the Genie PowerLift Garage Door Opener may be a good choice since it is easy to install, very quiet and smooth operation.
Jackshaft Drive Garage Door Opener
Jackshaft openers are installed on the side of the door. They work by turning a torsion spring rod instead of using a rail like a belt drive or a chain drive does. There’s no a rail connecting a garage door opener to the garage door, so the ceiling stays clear. These models use a 24V DC motor that drives cables and pulleys that turn the torsion bar and raise the door. Many models of this computerized system even include an automatic deadbolt that locks when the door closes so they are very secure.
Jackshaft garage door openers are very durable and can be used for a door measuring up to 14 feet in height, or a door with a maximum size of 180 square feet, but they only work on sectional garage doors. They are well-suited to garages with high or low ceilings or with obstructed ceilings such as those that are used for storing bikes, canoes, garden equipment.
This type of opener is often a bit louder than screw and belt drive system. However, due to the compact nature, durability, computerization, and security, Jackshaft openers are more expensive than most other types of openers. In the past, they are only found in commercial or industrial buildings but these days have been adapted for residential use. Many homeowners use these models for their garage doors because of the benefits they offer. If you want to know an example of the Jackshaft opener, the LiftMaster 8500 Elite Series is worth a checkout.
Direct Garage Door Opener
Though less common than the other models, Direct openers offer additional options for quiet door openers. This garage door opener from Sommer operates a bit differently than other popular chain- or belt-driven models. Instead of having a stationary motor that pulls a chain or belt attached to your door, its approach has the motor moving up and down the rail, by pulling itself along a chain with the door in tow. Direct drive openers still have an overhead rail with a chain, but the actual motor travels along a stationary chain that is embedded in an overhead rail. Since the motor moves instead of the chain, these models are quiet. Many direct-drive models are just as quiet as belt drives.
These models are quiet, durable and don’t really need maintenance after many years of use. They cost about the same as belt drive openers and often come with lifetime warranties since the only real moving part is the motor. If you’re wondering what the best quiet direct garage door opener is, then the SOMMER Direct Drive 1042V001 is a great option.
Determine the Weight and Size of Your Garage Door
Before choosing the perfect garage door opener for you, you’ll first need to determine the weight and size of your garage door. That will help you to determine how much horsepower (HP) does your garage door opener need. Horsepower (HP) is the driving force behind the up and down movements of a garage door. For garage openers, HP ratings typically range from 1/3 on smaller cheaper models to 1 1/2 on high-end systems.
For large and heavy garage doors (max height above 8 ft.), a more powerful garage door opener will be needed. The Correction between door sizes and HP ratings generally work as follows:
- 1/4 HP garage door openers are not recommended since they are so slow, even when lifting a plain aluminum door.
- 1/3 HP garage door openers can be a good option for single-car garage doors (10 feet wide and 8 feet tall)
- 1/2 HP power is a common choice for the majority of household garage door types, though they might struggle with solid wood.
- 3/4 HP is the power choice for large garage doors that are more than 16 feet or doors are used more frequently than average.
- 1 HP plus garage door openers are most often found in commercial situations.
Garage Door Opener Motor Types
There’s two types of motors for garage door openers, alternating current (AC) or direct current (DC). For some good reasons, DC powered garage door openers have become the standard in the garage door industry.
When choosing the garage door opener, it is important to consider the number of times the garage door opener is going to be used. The AC powered garage door openers are for people whose garage doors open many times in a day and who do not mind the noise. On the other hand, the DC powered garage door openers are for those who want no noise at all while opening and closing the door.
DC motors are quieter, faster, smaller, smoothing operating as well as more efficient than AC motors. Moreover, DC-powered garage door openers can turn AC into DC power. DC motors also allow more features on the opener like soft-start and soft-stop technology that reduces wear and tear on the motor and door. Many DC motors even offer a battery backup system to power your opener when the electric goes out. Battery backup will also ensure the continued operation of other functions, including security and safety alerts, and garage lighting.RIGA, Latvia – Inside a sparsely decorated, dimly lit meeting room in her company headquarters, Galina Timchenko takes a deep breath as she remembers the fateful day nearly four years ago when she was fired as the editor in chief of Lenta, one of the most popular and fearless news blogs in Moscow.
Lenta, dubbed by one Russian journalist as the “Russian New York Times,” had made its mark by refusing to censor itself and continuing to publish news viewed as antagonistic toward Russian President Vladimir Putin and his allies.
“It was a very important existential experience, because you had been working for 15 years, 15 hours a day. You had been building something very special. You were on top. You were the number one Russian internet news outlet.
“And it disappeared like this,” she said, widening her eyes and snapping her fingers