you are sure to be surprised with the baffling number of options you have in front of you. There are some tips to guide you choose the right kind of garage door opener for your garage.
The first thing is to learn the basics of garage door openers. Garage door openers mainly come with three kinds of drives namely chain drive,
belt drive and screw drive. Getting to know about them will help you decide which one is the best for your requirements.
The oldest among the garage door openers are the chain drive openers. This kind of openers is still popular. The one down side to this type is that these openers are very noisy. It is not advisable to fix them near zones where quiet is expected. At the same time, some people still feel they serve the purpose by sending warning signals through their noise intimating that someone is walking in.
Though belt drive openers are similar to chain drive ones, the main difference lies in the fact that they feature rubber belts in place of chains. This kind of openers is very expensive when compared o other types. However, they are the quietest among garage door openers.
Screw drive openers fall in midway between the two types mentioned above in terms of price and noise level. This kind of openers has fewer moving parts than others and therefore need considerably little maintenance. In fact, you will not need the assistance of professionals to install them.
The second aspect you need to consider in garage doors is power. The standard size garage doors work well on ½ horsepower while heavy ones need ¾ horsepower. The price difference is insignificant. Therefore, it is advisable you go with more power.
Legal mandates require that all garage doors manufactured after 1993 have safety mechanisms that would stop and reverse a moving door if some object is sensed beneath it. Look into the safety features of garage doors to ensure they do not accidentally damage cars, people and pets.
Garage doors with rolling code features are an ideal choice since they will make it hard for a burglar to access the code to open the door.
Often garage door opener is the primary source of light inside the garage. Therefore, it is wise to go for models that can support two 100 watt bulbs. Also, you may consider battery backup feature. Though most models do not feature this facility, some models do have it. At crucial times of power outage, openers with battery backup can help you operate the door without getting strangled.
In addition, you may examine whether the opener you go for features keyless entry pads, remote controls and wall controls. In most models, these are very useful standard features.
You may also choose between do-it-yourselfers models and products for professional installers. While the former can fit inside a car, the latter needs to be transported in a truck. Also, the former kind of models are sold in home improvement stores and you can install them yourself, while the latter are sold by dealers only and will need professional assistance to install.
Finally, do not forget to give a though to aspects like warranty and price. Compare between products to see which ones have favourable tilt on your side.
