Why buy a garage Door Opener?

A garage without an opener is like a TV without a remote.

The garage door opener became a necessity the moment it was invented. Garage door openers provide safety, comfort, and convenience, eliminating the risk of stress-related back injuries, reducing opportunities for thieves or night prowlers, and keeping you safe and warm during those cold and icy winter months.

Drive systems

There are 4 primary types of garage door opener drive systems:

belt driven

chain driven

screw driven

torsion driven

Chain driven garage door openers are the most common. They're noisier and more liable to break down because they use a metal chain moving along a metal trolley, but they're also inexpensive. Screw driven garage door openers use a threaded steel rod and are quieter than chain openers.

Belt driven garage door openers are even quieter than screws, and they provide softer starting and stopping action. The rubber belts on such openers feature steel reinforcement, just like the steel-belted tires on your car.

Torsion driven garage door openers are the newest technology in garage door openers. Torsion driven openers don't require a large ceiling-mounted motor box, because they're connected directly to the garage door's torsion spring shaft. Torsion openers are thus quieter and faster, opening and closing at 12 inches per second rather than the standard 7 inches.

Motors and features

Garage door opener motors generally operate at 1/3, 1/2, and 3/4-horsepower. Any one of those should be sufficient, though if your garage door is heavy, 1/2 or 3/4-horsepower would be best.

Several safety features should also be considered when shopping for garage door openers. Government regulations now require that all garage door openers feature an automatic reverse feature in case children or pets walk beneath a closing door and trigger an invisible sensor.

Most openers should feature the following:

 
contact reversing feature

timed reversing feature

force adjustment attribute

automatic lights

manual emergency release cord

All openers made today are also multi code garage door openers. The rolling codes change each time you open or close the door, preventing code theft.

Garage door opener brands

The Wayne-Dalton iDrive garage door opener is one of the best models available. It's a torsion driven opener that uses military-grade encryption to prevent code theft. The iDrive garage door opener also has a nifty height programming feature, so you can set the door to stop 6 to 30 inches above the ground for easy pet access. The iDrive is expensive, however, and will likely require professional installation.

Most garage door openers are made by two companies: Chamberlain Group, who manufacture Craftsman and LiftMaster garage door openers, and Overhead Door, who manufacture Genie garage door openers under the name Genie Company.

The Genie Excelerator is a popular and highly rated garage door opener. The Genie Excelerator garage door opener is screw driven, but it runs on a near-silent DC motor. Though it closes at standard speed, the Genie Excelerator opens at a rapid 14 inches per second.

If you're looking for a reliable yet inexpensive garage door opener for your home, Chamberlain's Craftsman garage door openers might work well for you.

Remember to check the warranty when shopping for garage door openers. The best garage door openers will offer a longer or lifetime warranty.

More information on garage door openers