Types of Garage Door Openers
Different garage door openers work better with different types of garage doors. Therefore, to make the best choice, you should familiarize yourself with the mechanics of the garage door openers before purchasing one.
Below are some of the most popular garage door openers on the market today.
Jackshaft Garage Door Opener
The jackshaft openers mount on either side of the garage door’s torsion bar. An electric motor turns the torsion bar to open the door.
The system is reliable and quiet. A jackshaft opener leaves the ceiling free for overhead storage, making them ideal for garages with high ceilings.
The cost of jackshaft openers is, however, higher than that of most other types of openers.
Chain-Drive Opener
Chain-driven openers have a chain connecting the trolley to the motor. The chain pushes or pulls a trolley, which moves the door, depending on the direction of movement.
Because of the rigid lift mechanism, a chain-driven opener can lift all types of doors, including metal, wood, and fiberglass.
Nevertheless, chain-driven models’ vibration and metal-to-metal contact can make them noisy and clunky. Moreover, chain driven garage door openers typically come with more plastic components and shorter warranties.
Still, these openers are among the most affordable garage door openers.
Screw-Drive Garage Door Opener
Screw-drive garage door openers lift the door with a threaded steel rod. Screw-drive openers have plastic sleeves inside the rail and plastic couplers that become brittle over time.
The openers are often prone to malfunctions in regions with fluctuating temperatures because they are temperature-sensitive. Screw-drive openers are less reliable and only suitable for lightweight and medium-sized doors.
Screw-drive openers are quiet as long as they are maintained. However they become very loud and require a lot of lubricant along the screw that turns inside the rail.
Most manufacturers have stopped making screw-driven garage door openers,
Direct-Drive Garage Door Opener
A direct-drive opener consists of a stationary chain and a motor that moves along the chain when the door opens and closes. The jackshaft turns the steel pole above your door called a shaft, while the direct drive has a motor that travels along with the carriage.
A direct-drive garage door opener costs about the same as a belt-drive opener, but lacks the rigidity of a garage door opener with a motor in the main housing. The unit is quiet like the belt-drive, but lacks the same warranty due to cheaper components.
Belt-Drive Garage Door Opener
Belt-drive openers use a steel-reinforced rubber belt to move the door. The openers use the same mechanism as chain-drive openers. A switch activates the belt, which pushes and pulls the trolley to raise and lower the garage door.
Belt-drive openers offer a quiet and smooth-motion alternative to chain-drive openers. The operations also involve fewer metal parts, so the opener has fewer servicing intervals. The result is less maintenance, which means fewer headaches for you.
Belt-drive openers are cheaper than jackshaft openers and more expensive than chain-driven openers. Belt-driven garage door openers are the most common type of garage door opener installed by homeowners.
Your garage door is often the largest moving object on your home. For the door to be secure and allow convenient access, you need the right garage opener for your needs. With the information above, you can be sure to make the right choice when it comes time to replace your garage door opener.
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