If you’re looking to buy a garage door opener, make sure you’re getting the right kind for your overhead door! Openers come in 4 different varieties: chain-drive, belt-drive, screw-drive, and direct-drive. Direct-drives are quiet with the least amount of parts which often leads to lesser of a chance of it breaking down. Chain-drives use a metal chain to lift the door and are the most affordable and common type of opener. Belt-drives are similar but use a belt to raise the door instead. Screw-drives use a different type of mechanism to open the door and are fairly quiet to operate.
Figuring Out Garage Opener Horsepower
Garage door openers come in a variety of different horsepower options for lifting your door. They usually come in sizes from 1/3rd horsepower to 1 and ½ horsepower. While a 1/3rd horsepower motor can lift most doors, it is not always the best option. A higher horsepower will result in a smoother operation with less wear on the motor. It’s often a better option to spend a little extra on higher horsepower so you don’t have to worry about the motor burning out too early.