Residential Garage Door Openers
Garage door openers use motors to power an opening mechanism that lifts the garage door. Openers must also include sensors to prevent the door from falling on anything detected between the tracks while the door is closing. Automatic garage doors have been required to include these sensors by federal law since 1993. There are several varieties of garage door openers with different opening mechanisms set apart by noise, price, power, maintenance, and installation. Here are the types of openers to consider.
Chain-Drive Openers :
This is the most common and cost effective type of garage door opener. These openers use ½ or ¾ horsepower motors to lift the door with a chain. Chain-drives are also the loudest openers.
Screw-Drive Openers:
These openers move the door trolley with a threaded steel rod which requires less maintenance because it has fewer moving parts than chain drives. Screw-drives are mid-range in both price and noise.
Belt-Drive Openers:
These openers are similar to chain drives but use a metal –reinforced, rubber belt instead. Belt drives are the quietest openers but also the most expensive openers.
