Garage Door Opener

For starters, the least expensive type of garage door opener is one that uses a chain drive. These are the old standbys that use a metal chain to lift the door along a metal trolley. Although chain driven garage door openers work well, they are usually noisy and are often heard from the inside of your home. If you have a bedroom space directly above your garage, then a chain driven opener may not be your best bet. Another option is the screw drive opener that uses a threaded steel rod to lift the door. This model is typically more expensive, but is quieter and can get the job done quicker. Finally, the latest trend in garage door openers is a belt driven opener. By using rubber belts, these openers are the quietest on the market, but also the most expensive. Once you have decided on the opening mechanism of your garage door opener, turn to the motor.

The motor of a garage door opener needs to be sufficient enough to properly lift and lower your garage door. If you purchase an opener with too weak a motor, you can face serious problems in this area. However, you also do not need to waste money on too strong of a motor, especially if your garage door is a lighter model. The weight of the garage door comes heavily into play, since in most instances, wooden garage doors are much heavy than their metal counterparts. For those homeowners with larger or heavier doors, a one-half or three-quarters horsepower garage door opener is strongly suggested over the typical one-third horsepower model.

Safety concerns are evident with any garage door opener, but especially those in homes where children are present. Your garage door opener should have sensors that will trigger the door to stop its descent and quickly ascend is the safety beam is blocked. This will prevent children from being crushed by the weight of the garage door. Furthermore, your opener should have a feature that immediately brings the door back up if any object is found underneath the door. For example, if a child lies down underneath the safety beam and the door is allowed to lower, that door should not remain in a resting position, which could potentially crush the child. These safety features are available on most garage door opener models.

The final thing to look for when purchasing a garage door opener is the installation. If you are not able or willing to install the opener yourself, you should seek professional help. Most stores that sell the openers will have a professional on hand who will gladly install your garage door opener for a fee.