Features To Look For When You Compare New Garage Door Openers
When your garage door opener stops working, you'll want a new one installed right away. Opening a garage door manually isn't always easy, and it can even be dangerous. A garage door company might even help you choose the right opener for your door, but you could buy one yourself and let a garage door professional install it. Here are features to look for in garage door openers.
Amount Of Horsepower
You might want the help of a professional when you choose your new opener so you buy one with the right amount of horsepower. The more horsepower garage door openers have, the better they can lift heavy doors, and the faster they operate. You'll definitely want an opener that's strong enough to lift the size and weight of your door so the opener doesn't strain and have a short life.
Type Of Drive
There are different types of drives to choose from when you buy a new opener: chain, screw, and belt. They work in different ways and have different price points. Chain drives are common and more affordable. However, since they are made of metal chains, they are noisy. If your garage is near a bedroom, you might prefer a quieter drive. A belt drive is made with rubber belts so it's a lot quieter, but it costs more than a chain drive.
A screw drive uses a threaded rod to open and close the door. It's also quiet and more expensive. It might also be slower than the other types of drives, but a slow door might be worth it to have a door that doesn't wake you up when it opens and closes.
Battery Backup With Manual Release
You'll probably want a garage door opener that has a manual release and battery backup. With these features, you can open your garage door when the power goes out. The battery won't last a long time, but you'll be able to get your car out of the garage to go to work rather than having your car stuck. Once the power comes back on, the battery recharges and is ready for another power outage.
Lights For Safety
Some garage door openers have lights that automatically come on when the door opens. This is an important safety feature to have since the lights illuminate your dark garage so you won't trip over clutter, and so you can make sure no one is hiding in the garage.
The lights may also come on when they detect motion, which means they'll also work when you enter the garage from your home as well as turn on when you enter from the street.