What Garage Door Opener Should I Buy?

When selecting a garage door opener, it is important to match the opener to your door size, use, and prioritize (noise, smart features, budget, and etc.). Openers are ranked on a scale of horsepower (HP) to correspond with door weights - typically a standard residential garage door opener will use between ½ - ¾ HP, while doors that are extremely heavy, oversized, or similar will require 1 HP or greater.

There are different options to consider regarding the types of drives, and to review the pros and cons there are several types to consider. We will take a look at the common types (chain, belt, screw, direct, and wall mount) and an explanation would be length will follow for consideration (power, noise, connectivity, price, and life expectancy) regarding your residential or commercial needs for each type of door opener.

Common Types of Openers

• Chain Drive Opener: This opener operates as the name suggests: it uses a metal chain to pull the door up. Chain drives are very tough, inexpensive, and will operate heavy door heights if needed. They are budget friendly and a "tried and true" option. That said, the downside to a chain drive is that the metal chain means that noise and vibratory motion gets transmitted through the whole set-up. Therefore these garage door openers would be best used in a detached garage or other where noise would not be issue. A normal chain-drive garage door opener will costs around $150 - $400+.

• Belt Drive Opener: This opener uses a rubber belt instead in place of a chain. The belt drive openers are smooth and exceptionally quiet (attaching garages & homes with a room above) and last for years with very little maintenance. The cost is the drawback, belt drive garage door openers normally operate at the top end for consumer models (most often between $200 - $500+) but may have to be replace a belt after many years' or a lifetime of use.

• Screw Drive Opener: A screw drive opener uses a threaded steel rod as a lifting device, using a steel rod that will lift the door trolley.Because screw drives have fewer moving parts (i.e. no chain or belt), they have relatively low maintenance. The motors are strong and quick, giving good rates for heavy doors. Though, one drawback to screw drives is that they can be finicky in terms of temperature, which can affect performance in hot and cold climates. Screws drives in general are quieter than chain models (not quite as quiet as belt) and midrange in price ($250-500).

• Direct Drive: The motor rides along a fixed rail, so the chain or belt does not move. The motor directly drives the door. Direct-drive openers have one moving part, which is the motor carriage, making them very quiet and durable. The carriage has nothing rubbing against it or shaking, so it’s practically silent when in operation, and its simple design makes them last so much longer. This premium technology (think models like Sommer or Chamberlain) will come at a premium ($300-$700) but it’s well worth it if quiet, low-maintenance performance is the priority.

• Wall-Mount (Jackshaft): The opener is not hung from the ceiling, but mount on the wall beside the garage door and turning the torsion bar to open/close the door. Wall-mount (jackshaft) openers take away ceiling height and are virtually silent, because they don't have a long rail or chain moving horizontally. They are a good option for garages with high-vaulted or low ceilings where a ceiling opener is not feasible. The trade-offs are cost and installation. Wall-mounted units are generally more expensive (generally $400 - $800,(For very large, high-cycle commercial doors there are specialty heavy-duty openers - such as industrial chain-hoist and drawbar hoists - that are capable of extreme weight and extensive cycling. These openers start in the thousands of dollars and are not required for standard home garage use.)

Key features to consider

• Power & Door Size: Be sure the horse power of the opener is correct for the weight and usage of your door. The vast majority of home doors (600 lbs. or less) will work with a ½ HP to ¾ HP opener. Heavier or medium to large doors (ie. carriage style wood doors, large commercial doors) may require at least a 1 HP opener or higher. Heavier HP openers are usually more durable in general and will better withstand being cycled frequently. For attached garages one should consider going larger to relieve more strain.

• Noise: Where is the garage relative to livable spaces? The chain drive units have the loudest noise (metal on metal clank). Belt drive, wall-mount and direct/complementary drive units are typically quieter. If you have a bedroom or living room over the garage, a belt or wall-mount opener would be best to minimize noise. Screw drives are typically quieter than chains but usually make noise that is at least louder than belt units.

• Smart Connectivity and Safety: Many newer openers offer wi-fi/phone control, making it easy to know when the door is being used, monitored in real-time or manipulated from anywhere. Features include app alerts that say the door is open and remotely monitoring the door (from home hubs like Alexa or Google) and smart remotes.Don’t overlook security features! Seek out motion sensors and rolling-code technology. Another useful addition is a battery back-up which allows the opener to work in the event of power loss. Keypads or keyless entry pads are also useful for code entry if there is no remote.

• Price & Durability: Chain-drive openers are typically the lowest-priced models (around $150-$400), while belt-drives are higher (around $200-$500). Wall-mount and direct-drive units are premium models (costing over $400) which offer superb reliability. Less expensive openers generally meet basic needs, while the more expensive openers have more durable components (an example is metal gears instead of plastic), quieter motors, and more attractive warranties. A1 Garage Door points out that "most chain-drives are durable for heavy doors and reliable for frequent use", meaning if they are cared for, they can last a long time. A good quality opener should last about 10-15 years with care. In fact, most higher-priced openers have lifetime warranties on motors and/or belts. With longevity, the warranty is a factor.

• Usage/Duty Cycle: Think about how often the door is intended to be used. Typical home garage door openers are rated for a few cycles a day. Commercial or industrial use (such as a shop door or warehouse door used dozens of times a day), requires heavy-duty commercial operators rated for high cycles. They may be chain-hoist, drawbar or trolley-style operators built for continuous use. They typically cost more (generally anywhere between $600-$3000+) and most will require ¾-1 HP or more, but they build with the additional stress in mind. (For most home use, any of the above style operators would suffice, and commercial-grade openers would be severe overkill for typical residential use.)

Choosing Your Opener

So, your opener needs to match your identified priorities. If budget is the top priority and noise doesn’t matter, then a chain-drive opener is a durable, economical option. If a quiet operation is a priority, when the garage is attached to the house, I recommend a belt-drive or a wall-mounted garage door opener, if you required wall mounting. If quietest operation is the priority, then direct-drive openers are superb. Be sure to select sufficient horsepower for the weight of the door, and use modern features like smartphone control or battery backup if they are identified as priorities by the user.

Confirm ratings for the opener, and utilize professional installation if the opener is complex (like wall-mount or commercial).

And finally, by weighing garage door opening size, noise, and features and budget, you should choose an opener that will be convenient, secure, and long-lasting.