You use your garage door opener every day, relying on it to easily lift and lower the heavy overhead doors of your home. When openers fail, however, you want to know that you’re selecting a quality replacement so this inconvenient occurrence doesn’t happen again. To ensure you’re purchasing a reliable garage door opener, here is a brief guide to your options.

How to Select a Quality Garage Door Opener

Types of Openers

There are three different types of garage door opener mechanisms on the market: screw, chain, and belt drive. Each provides different benefits depending on what you need. Chain drives are the strongest of the three, making them a top choice if your home has a particularly heavy garage door. Chain drives are typically equipped with AC motors and are very cost-effective, but they do produce a degree of noise and require regular maintenance and lubrication to keep them in top shape. 

If you are looking for a quieter choice, opt for a screw drive opener. These produce less noise than chain drives and are easy to install. Screw drives fare well with heavy, wide doors, and offer a compact setup with lots of power. These also have less moving parts than other types, and waste little energy when in use. However, they require more maintenance to keep them working, so be prepared to inspect them regularly.

For the quietest and easiest to maintain, choose a belt drive. Even though it is the priciest, the benefits make it worth the investment. Its higher cost is attributed to the DC motor, which features a soft start-and-stop mechanism for minimal noise production. It also lifts much more quickly and doesn’t require lubrication like chain drives do.

Features

If you are concerned about safety features, look for models that include technology such as rolling codes. These regularly changing entry codes increase security and will keep unwanted guests from accessing your garage.

For areas that suffer power outages, especially during inclement weather, opt for higher-end belt drives with backup batteries if you don’t want to rely on the manual option of a chain or screw drive.

Make sure you choose the correct horsepower for your setup as well. Usually ½-horsepower openers are sufficient, unless your garage is insulated or you have solid wood garage doors that are heavier to lift. However, unless you have industrial doors, the most you’ll need is ¾-horsepower.

For 10 years, American Garage Door, Inc. has been Kalispell, MT’s choice for garage door services. Their expert technicians are available for 24-hour garage door repairs and garage door opener assistance to ensure your components are in top shape at all times. They also offer custom garage door designs and painting to complement your home perfectly. Call (406) 752-2662 today or visit their website for more.