The garage door opener is one of the most important things that you need to have in your garage. Your opener does not only allow you to automatically open and close the door safely but it also keeps the house secured by locking it without the need of keys. Choosing a door opener might be a challenge since there are a lot of brands and types available out there.
Here are few things that you must consider when buying one for your garage:
- Power– The power of your door opener will be measured in Horsepower and this is very important. The higher the horsepower of your opener, the more weight it will be able to carry. Do not forget that the actual garage door is very heavy and your door opener must be able to lift that weight effortlessly. You have to know the weight of your garage door so you would know how much horsepower you will need. If you own a unit that can span up to two cars, it may have an average weight of 350 pounds. A ½ HP motor will be enough to function in this type of door but if you own a heavier type like a carriage door, you might want to choose a ¾ HP motor.
- Drive Type– There are different types of drives or tracks for the garage doors.
- Chain– This is the cheapest type of drive for the garage door. But because this type uses a metal chain, it will be noisy when the garage door is operating.
- Screw– this type still uses a steel rod so it may still create noise but new models are lined with plastic to lessen the noise. This type also operates faster than the chain type.
- Belt– this is the quietest type because the belt does not create a metal to metal sound during operation. If you have a bedroom adjacent or above the garage door, then having this quiet opener will be the best option.
- Safety Features- The garage door is among the entry doors of the house and people pass through it all the time. Look for features like invisible sensors to prevent the door from accidentally closing when someone is still under it.
