When it comes to home garage door openers, you generally have three different types of drives to choose from. Each type has its own pros and cons but sometime it just comes down to personal preference as to which type you should select. We’ve compiled a list of the three types of garage door openers along with their descriptions, advantages and disadvantages:
Screw Drive: Mechanically different then the other two garage door opener options, screw drive openers require a trolley that rides on a threaded steel rod. This rotates with the motor to open and close the door. It doesn’t have the same pulling and pushing forces of the other types either. This type of opener is more simple and sometimes preferable for people who want to maintain fewer parts. However, screw drive units are sensitive to temperature fluctuations and aren’t ideal for people who live in areas with drastic, seasonal temperature changes. They are also considerably noisier and tend to be the slowest moving type of opener.
Chain Drive: This is considered the classic type of garage door opener as it’s been around the longest and it the most common type of opener used. It is also considered more economical then other options. This type of unit runs the door along a track with a bicycle-like chain that pushes and pulls the trolley. Because of this design, chain drive openers tend to be slightly more noisy causing more vibrations and metal-on-metal sounds. This may be fine for a detached garage, but might be too much of a clamor if a bedroom is nearby. However, some people prefer the racket of a chain drive opener because it alerts them when someone has opened the garage door.
Belt Drive: In the world of garage door openers, the belt drive openers are considered the more extravagant option, because of their sleekness, their tendency to cost a bit more, and their relatively lower noise levels. They use a similar mechanism as the chain drive openers, but they use a belt instead of a chain. Usually the belt is fade from steel-reinforced rubber, fiberglass, or polyurethane.
If you’ve made up your mind about what type of garage door opener you would like to purchase, then contact Discount Garage Door. We carry a complete line of new quality openers for your home with the best warranties around.
