Every evening the noise of the garage door opening foretells the return of loved ones all over. Not all garage door openers are the same, though. Martin Pinnacle Garage Door When differentiating between them there are a few criteria to look at first, horsepower and then the type of mechanism that uses that power.
Horsepower relates not to the strength required to lift the garage door independently, but rather the force necessary to lift the door given all the pulleys and springs. The opener, be it mechanical or human, is merely breaking the pull of inertia on the door. The size, materials, and quality of the door will help one determine how much power is really necessary.
If the door is especially heavy or large, and therefore has more inertia; ones choices are limited. Chain drive garage door opener units provide the most power and durability. They are going to be noisy, but that noise is the result of a lot of horsepower pulling a large chain. The mechanics are similar to those of a bike chain. These are generally the cheapest solution, but the noisy chain may not be a pleasant greeting every time one comes home. If the garage is not directly below or next to a bedroom this may not be a problem.
Screw drives are a good option for balancing noise level and cost. They often have extra features to protect them against more extreme climate conditions, but truly the strength of these openers is their value to noise ratio. There are fewer moving parts and many customers will find the difference in noise from a chain drive to a screw drive to be more than enough to make the switch worth it. The screw drive moves the door up and down in the same way that a nut revolves around a bolt and moves up and down in the process.
If the device is located directly under a bedroom or some other consideration makes quiet performance a priority, a belt drive is the best option. This type of drive is more costly than screw or chain drive, but the price of uninterrupted nap time may be worth it. These follow the same mechanical process as chain drives, but a belt like those found in most car engines is the moving part rather than a noisy, interlocking chain.
The three major types of garage door opener drive are all available for the Do-it-Yourself type as well as professional installation. Some models designed for professional installation offer enhanced noise buffering systems not offered. Some Office Door Safety Tips models will even offer a battery backup in case of power failure. These and other extra features will help one make a final decision, but understanding how the garage door opener functions will help anyone make a more educated choice.
