Every evening the noise of the garage door opening foretells the return
of loved ones all over. Not all garage door openers are the same, though. When differentiating between them there are a
few criteria to look at first, horsepower and then the type of mechanism that
uses that power.
Horsepower relates not to the strength
required to lift the garage door independently, but rather the force necessary
to lift the door given all the pulleys and springs. The opener, be it
mechanical or human, is merely breaking the pull of inertia on the door. The
size, materials, and quality of the door will help one determine how much power
is really necessary.
The next item that any one faced with
replacing or installing a garage door opener needs to learn about is what type
of drive they are looking to buy. There are three major types: belt drive,
chain drive, or screw drive. These drives all have their place and should have
due consideration.
If the door is especially heavy or
large, and therefore has more inertia; ones choices are limited. Chain drive garage door opener units provide the
most power and durability. They are going to be noisy, but that noise is the
result of a lot of horsepower pulling a large chain. The mechanics are similar
to those of a bike chain. These are generally the cheapest solution, but the
noisy chain may not be a pleasant greeting every time one comes home. If the
garage is not directly below or next to a bedroom this may not be a problem.
Screw drives are a good option for
balancing noise level and cost. They often have extra features to protect them
against more extreme climate conditions, but truly the strength of these
openers is their value to noise ratio. There are fewer moving parts and many
customers will find the difference in noise from a chain drive to a screw drive
to be more than enough to make the switch worth it. The screw drive moves the
door up and down in the same way that a nut revolves around a bolt and moves up
and down in the process.
If the device is located directly under
a bedroom or some other consideration makes quiet performance a priority, a
belt drive is the best option. This type of drive is more costly than screw or
chain drive, but the price of uninterrupted nap time may be worth it. These
follow the same mechanical process as chain drives, but a belt like those found
in most car engines is the moving part rather than a noisy, interlocking chain.
There is a newer drive design
available, and if there is a problem of clearance for the garage door or one
needs to park an exceptionally tall object, there is a torsion spring drive.
These special need drives are generally professional installed and there are
very few manufacturers.
The three major types of garage door opener drive are all
available for the Do-it-Yourself type as well as professional installation. Some
models designed for professional installation offer enhanced noise buffering
systems not offered. Some models will even offer a battery backup in case of
power failure. These and other extra features will help one make a final
decision, but understanding how the garage door opener functions will help
anyone make a more educated choice.