Buying a garage door opener can be a challenging, complicated task. Mechanical openers are available in multiple styles and power levels. Finding the perfect garage door opener for you will also depending if you’ve got a set of metal garages or concreted ones attached to your property. You can learn about the different types of garage door openers so you can make the perfect selection for your home.
Chain-Drive Systems
The first type of opener is called a chain-drive system. It is the most common type of opening system and also the most economical. The metal chain powers the pulley system that moves the door along the metal tracks. This type is the noisiest system, due to the metal-on-metal vibrations, but it fits all door sizes and can lift the heaviest weight.
Belt-Drive Systems
The belt-drive opener is the newest rival to the chain-drive opener, growing quickly in popularity due to its quiet operation. Instead of making a racket with a metal chain while the door opener is in use, belts made of rubber, fiberglass or polyurethane smoothly raise and lower the door with minimal noise. This type may come at a higher price, but it is ideal for garages located close to bedrooms where a high level of noise is undesirable.
Screw-Drive Systems
The screw-drive system uses a motor-controlled rotating threaded steel rod to powerfully lift and move the garage door. This type of opener is more durable than other options because it does not use moving belts or chains as pulleys. There is less of a need for maintenance and repair, and for this reason, they are more expensive than chain or belt-powered units. While screw-drive systems are not as noisy as chain-drive alternatives, they are noisier than the soft belt-drive systems available.
What Horsepower Do You Need?
Find out the weight of your garage doors before deciding on an opening system. You will want to know how much horsepower is needed to smoothly lift and close each door without damaging either the opener or the doors themselves. The most common horsepower level is one half. The heaviest doors, such as those made of wood, would benefit from a horsepower level of three quarters or one.
The predetermined opening speed will regulate how fast the doors lift and close. On average, openers lift the doors at a rate of six to eight inches per second. All doors, no matter their opening speed, close at a much slower pace for safety reasons. In addition, check that the system includes a gradual start-and-stop feature to limit the wear on the door’s edges.
Talk to the professional team at Accent Garage Doors for additional information on buying a garage door opener for your home based on the material weight and size of your current set of doors.
