Garage Door Openers – The Styles and the Power

The whole point of having that special room to park your car in is to be able to easily park your car there. Getting out and opening it up, then getting out and closing it all without the use of garage door openers can be a big pain in the hind quarters. Let’s face it: no one wants to go through that hassle even once a day, let alone twice or more if you run in and out a lot. At this point if you don’t want to park in the driveway then you might want to consider having garage door openers installed in your home.

When it comes to garage door openers, there are several to choose from. Name brand is less important than horse power. They come in either ½ horse power or ¾ horse power. If you have an overly large or heavy door to open then you will want to get the larger size to lessen the strain on the equipment. If you have more than one opening, then you will need garage door openers for each, as one machine cannot handle two separate doors.

After you have determined the necessary size, you will need to determine whether you want a chain driven or screw driven mechanism. The chain driven mechanism is just like it sounds. The hatch is pulled up by a chain that extends from the drive mechanism located in the center of the ceiling. This model is often cheaper but much noisier than its counterpart.

The screw driven mechanism pulls the hatch up by a long threaded rod. Because you are not using a chain that can jerk, this type often has a much smoother operation. It is also less noisy than its counterpart and more desirable for some families, though more expensive. Either model has brands with a battery backup to allow you to get in or out if the electricity is off.

When it comes time for the installation, you might want to consider having a professional do it. For the weekend handy man, it can be a difficult, time consuming task. You have to hang not only the mechanism itself but the track that goes with it. You also have to connect everything to what you are opening and if it’s a chain, you have to make sure it’s snug and not hanging down anywhere. Having a professional install this for you will take the frustration out of it and will give you confidence that it will be done right the first time.