How to find the right door opener for your garage

Choosing an automatic opener for your garage door is an important and costly decision. Here's what you should know before deciding.

There are several considerations to keep in mind when choosing your garage door opener:

• Power: One of the most important factors to consider is the horsepower it will take to safely raise and lower your door. The opener motor must be able to manage the weight and height of the door. An opener that's not strong enough to sustain your garage door can be very dangerous and lead to unfortunate accidents, damages to itself and to your house. In most instances, the larger the motor, the longer it will live given that it won’t work as hard. It's important to speak to a professional about what type of motor you need for your garage door opener.
• How quiet is it? You might want to consider a quieter opener if your home sits above the garage.
• Is it economical and low maintenance?
• How often to you need to get in and out?
• Do you need it to be remote-controlled to open and close?
• How much security will you need? Some garage door openers make it more difficult to break into. Some can accompany a security system with a password number keypad for entry.

• Chain-drive openers: The chain drive open is considered the more dependable and economical of the units available. However, it's also known to be the noisiest. It requires regular maintenance, so if you're a garage door handy-man, this option may work for you.
• Belt-drive openers: In complete contrast to the chain drive opener, the belt openers is considered the quietest of the openers, so they're most suitable for homes situated above their garage. Using a flexible rubber belt to raise and lower the door, these types of openers have the second fewest moving parts. However, they're also the most expensive opener.
• Screw-drive openers: Using a threaded steel rod, these types of openers are heavy-duty units with few moving parts. Therefore, they require little maintenance and are typically quite affordable. Their plastic lined tracks also make for a fairly quiet unit and ideal to lift heavy double doors.

Whatever the choice may be for your garage door opener, consider your needs and abilities for using and maintaining your garage. Before replacing or installing one, be sure to consult a professional.