People hardly pay attention to their garage door openers, till
something actually goes wrong and they need to be repaired or replaced. It is
important to select the right garage door opener, whether for the purpose of new
installation or replacement. This minimizes the chances of frequent repairs in
the future.
Here are some tips on the things to consider before
picking a garage door opener.
Selecting
the Brand and Design
First and foremost, you need to take a decision about
the brand and the style of opener that you want to buy. You also need to think
about whether you want to purchase your garage door opener from a home supplies
store or online. There will be a wide variety of styles, brand and power
ratings displayed in a store and you can pick one that suits your budget and
your requirements best.
If you are planning to purchase your garage door opener
online, make sure that you go through customer reviews in order to get an idea
about the different models under consideration. You can easily make a
comparison between the specifications, dimensions, price, weight, warranty and
features based on such reviews.
There are basically three types of garage door openers that
you can pick from. These are:
- Chain Drive
- Belt Drive
- Screw Drive
All of them have their own unique advantages and suit
different kinds of garage doors. There are some things that you should consider
before deciding on the style of opener you wish to buy, such as the garage
door’s width and height and the building material and insulation of the garage
door.
Belt drive openers make minimal sound when opening a
garage door and are perfect for garages that are close to living spaces. Chain
drive openers are suitable for almost all kinds of garage doors and are used
for lifting extremely heavy doors. Screw drive openers are built for
single-piece doors which tilt. They are quieter as compared to chain drive
openers and quite durable when used as opening systems for garages.
Horse
Power
Another factor to consider while choosing a garage
door opener is the amount of horse power that is needed to raise the door. For
instance, if you need an opener for lifting a 22’ width door, you will require
a minimum of ½ horsepower.
Heavy and oversized doors require a minimum of ¾
horsepower. It is also important to
consider the opener speed. An average garage door opener can raise the door
about 7inches/ second. However, certain models might be able to lift the garage
door at twice the speed.
There are various other factors which also require
your attention when looking to buy a garage door opener. If you require a good
amount of light in the garage, hunt for models which make use of 100 watt bulbs
(or comparable LED bulbs).
It is a good idea to do some research and consult a
technician before picking the right garage door opener.
