Are All Garage Door Openers The Same?
When you're picking a new garage door, the garage door opener is something that you might neglect. But, the opener you choose can make a world of difference to the reliability and functionality of your door. Here are some reasons why your garage door opener choice matters.
They Vary in Speed
First of all, garage door openers can have very different speeds. Some of the slower openers will be chain drive garage door openers. On the faster side, you have direct drive openers. Think of how much time you currently waste waiting for your garage door to open. Even if you can save a few seconds a couple of times per day, that's a lot of downtime that adds up over the years.
They Vary in Power
Garage door opener choice also matters because it will affect how much strain you can reliably put on the opener before it breaks down. Each garage door opener comes with a horsepower, and heavier garage doors will require a garage door opener with a higher horsepower than others. Just make sure that the door you pick will not overload the opener you have in mind. If the door is too heavy for its opener, it may not open at all, or it may be unreliable and prone to malfunction.
They Vary in Maintenance Needs and Reliability
Another thing to know is that some garage door openers can break down more easily than others. An example is the belt drive opener. While it has many benefits, it also uses a thin rubber belt to lift the door. That part can break fairly easily. Mechanical doors also have parts that need to be lubricated, refastened, and cleaned on a regular basis. In contrast, a direct drive motor is safe from some of these concerns.
Some Are Better Equipped to Be Digitized
Finally, if you are thinking about having your garage door integrated into your smart locking system, note that some openers are more compatible with being controlled by smart lock system than others. Check with your garage door specialist to find models of garage door openers that will work with the setup you already have.
So, in short, it's worth taking some time to review different garage door opener options before you meet with a residential garage door repair and installation team. The cost, security, and added features of each garage door opener is worth considering.