There are currently four main types of garage door openers out on the market today. The belt drive, chain drive, screw drive and direct drive openers to be exact. All have their pros and cons so read up on these before you make a decision or hire someone to install one for you if this is the case.
Chain Drive
These were the most common type of opener on older garage doors. They do last a long time if maintained regularly and lubricated annually which is something that needs to be done to all types of openers. The newer chain drives are typically lighter in weight than their predecessors but they still use about the same amount of electricity which makes them more expensive on your energy bill like any other appliance you leave plugged in at home, so unplug it when not in use if possible especially during peak summer months.
Belt Drive
A belt drive garage door opener is very quiet and doesn’t require any type of lubrication. It also runs on a chain that has tension-mounted drums to it instead of one solid piece on most other types, making it ideal for homes with pets or small children since there are no exposed moving parts inside the garage itself. This type of garage door opener has a belt that is made of natural rubber which means the possibility for it to break down over time is extremely high. It may need replacing quite often if you have pets or children around so this may run you more than your standard overhead door opener in the long run.
Screw Drive
This was one of the first attempts at designing an opener that used less power by replacing the metal chains with a belt-driven system using a tough rubber belt inside a u-shaped arm section located at the top centre of the garage door. They are very quiet in operation, but the rubber belt needs replacement every three to five years which can be costly if you don’t do it yourself or don’t have a friend that is willing to help.
These openers also use less energy than chain drives making them more cost-effective on your monthly energy bill so unplugging it when it’s not being used may benefit you even more.
Direct Drive
These direct-drive opener systems weigh about 40lbs and they run off an AC power source so there is no need for either outside wiring or recharging batteries like in your garage door remote control unit. Some of these units come with built-in Wi-Fi technology allowing you to monitor what’s going on around your home from your iPhone or other cellular devices.
The best part about these openers is they are very quiet when in operation and they don’t lose power through friction like a chain drive or belt drive systems do, which is why it’s important to lubricate them every year. They also use the most amount of electricity out of all types of garage door openers, but if you’re looking at them in the first place then you probably have a good-sized budget for whatever project you’re working on so this might not be an issue for you anyway.
These direct-drive units are typically installed by professionals that specialize in these type of products because they require extensive wiring inside your home that needs to be done correctly. Some models even allow you to preprogram the door opening and closing speeds which can be adjusted depending upon your specific needs.
Don’t try to install one of these on your own because it requires extensive wiring knowledge and the necessary safety precautions need to be taken so anyone attempting such a project could seek out professional help if they do not have experience in this type of work.
Wired vs Wireless
If you don’t want or need any special features like Wi-Fi technology, etc then wired openers are what you want, but if you’re looking at convenience and ease of use through wireless accessories for your garage door opener system then choose wisely because some manufacturers offer better products than others. It’s important that the manufacturer provides reliable equipment that is compatible with their existing opener system, otherwise, you’ll end up with headaches caused by misaligned sensors or your garage door remote control unit not communicating with the opener because it’s trying to talk to two different device brands.
