Top Things to Look For When Purchasing Garage Door Opener

A garage door opener, as the name suggests, is a motorized device that opens and closes the garage door. Garage door openers are available in different types, and there are a few things to consider while purchasing a garage door opener.

Types of Garage Door Openers

Before talking about factors to consider while choosing garage door openers, it is essential to understand some basics. Garage door openers are classified into three types, as discussed below.

Chain Driven

Chain Driven openers are one of the most commonly used garage openers and are the least expensive as well. In chain-driven openers, the chain drifts along a cogwheel that enables the garage door to move up or down. These garage door openers are loud and require regular maintenance to keep them functioning smoothly. However, if you know what you are doing, chain-driven openers are cost-effective and easy-to-maintain.

 

Belt Driven

Belt driven garage door openers utilize rubber belts instead of chains, and therefore, are quieter than other garage openers. Additionally, belt-driven openers eliminate metal to metal contact, which reduces vibration & noise and increases the life of the door opener. The only drawback of belt-driven openers is that they are costly but compensate for it with their longer life compared to chain-driven openers.

 Screw Drive

The quietest option among all garage door openers is the screw-drive garage door opener. This type of garage door opener consists of less moving parts and uses a threaded rod for opening and closing the door. Additionally, they are low maintenance and include fewer components, which make them last longer. The only drawback of screw-drive openers is their slow speed. Although a screw-drive opener is not drastically slow, the difference is noticeable when compared to chain-driven and belt-driven openers.

Some Points to Consider Before Purchasing a Garage Door Opener

Before choosing a garage door Opener Flower Mound for your garage, you need to acknowledge some of your basic needs. Some of these needs include power, installation, extension kits, and safety features. Let's briefly discuss some of these basic needs that might help you choose the ideal opener for your garage.

Horsepower

One of the primary considerations while choosing a garage door is the amount of power your garage door needs. One of the primary determinants of required horsepower is the size. If your garage door is twenty feet wide, you will need a door opener with at least 1/2 power. The speed of opening and closing of the garage door also depends upon the horsepower.

An underpowered door opener will take relatively less time compared to an overpowered garage opener. On average, a door opener lifts a garage door at a speed of six to eight inches per second. Here is a classification of different horsepower ratings used for garage doors.

1 Horsepower: 1 HP garage door openers are ideal for cumbersome garage doors or solid wood doors. These types of garage door openers offer the best power to efficiency & speed ratio.

3/4 Horsepower: 3/4 HP garage door openers are ideal for opening heavy and insulated garage doors. These types of garage door openers are long-lasting, and open garage doors faster, compared to lower HP openers (1/2 HP).

1/2 Horsepower: 1/2 HP is the most widely used garage opener rating and is capable of lifting the majority of garage doors.

Extension Kits

If a garage door is taller than the standard size of seven feet, rail extension kits are necessary to use. A garage door extension kit enables you to handle taller doors with ease. Since all garage door openers are designed to work with garage doors of standard height; therefore, paying an extra $50 for purchasing an extension kit is essential.

Safety

Although automatic garage door openers are convenient, they can be dangerous too. The majority of garage openers are equipped with a set of lasers that stop the garage door from opening if an object obstructs the alignment of the laser. Another feature of modern garage door openers is the auto-reverse function.

If the garage door is closing and it hits an object like a car, human, or animal, it will reopen automatically. However, these features are machine-operated and can stop working at some point in time. Therefore, it is essential to keep a regular check of these safety features. To check the functionality of lasers, try waving a stick in front of lasers.

If the door does not stop from closing, the chances are that the laser sensors are off or failed. You can perform the same test with automatic reverse function as well by keeping an object under the garage door. If you notice a problem with safety measures in garage doors, seek garage door repair Flower Mound services.

 

The Bottom Line

Automatic garage door openers are a great addition to your garage and can save you loads of time, which you would otherwise waste if you stick to manual opening methods. However, with so many options to choose from, selecting the ideal door opener can be tricky, and therefore, acquiring some basic knowledge and doing some research on garage door openers are essential.