How to Buy a Garage Door Opener

What to look for in a garage door opener.


My name is John Wilchynski, owner of Suncoast Garage Door Company,Inc. We are a family owned and operated business in Florida. Over 40 years have passed since our doors opened and we have learned and seen alot. I will tell you in this article about what I have learned about garage door openers and how to pick one that's right for you.

Yes, we know you can get out of the car and open the garage door by hand but that's not the way most people open there doors now days. Each year over 3 million of us buy a garage door opener. Beyond dependability, compare cost, safety, security and noise--important for garages that contain workshops or have bedrooms or offices overhead.

Instructions

Compare the drive units. Chain drives have a bad rep. Some say they are noisy and the chain breaks. This simple is not true. We install the genie PMX-500 chain drive openers and they are very quiet. In 26 years we have never had a chain break. I think anyone should consider a chain drive. Weather its a Liftmaster,Craftsmans or Chamberlain the chain drive units are good. They are not be over looked. They cost around($130 to $180). Screw drives ($150 to $250) lift the door with a threaded steel rod. These are the most installed models that we use here in our business. Look for the latest models that use a plastic-lined track to reduce noisy metal-to-metal contact. Belt drives ($170 to $350) are the quietest openers. Their flexible rubber belts dampen vibrations and eliminate the noisy metal-to-metal contact of chain or screw drives. These units work great for installations were there is a bedroom or office above the garage door opener.

Compare the openers' motors. Personally I do not care for the DC motor openers. DC motor units are susceptible to power surges and lighting. In our business here in Florida we have more problems with these units than AC units. If you still want a Dc motor unit read on. Some high-quality, efficient openers use a direct current (DC) motor instead of standard alternating current (AC) motor. A DC motor uses less electricity and its speed can easily be controlled, allowing a simpler drive mechanism to be used for reliability and less noise. It also allows for a soft start and stop cycle to eliminate loud clank sounds. The door starts closing slowly, reaches full speed and then slows down again just before it touches the floor.

Select a 1/2- or 3/4-horsepower opener instead of the basic 1/3 if you have a large or heavy door.

Also take into account your safety concerns. An automatic reverse feature stops and reverses the door if it touches something--a child playing underneath, for example. If you have children like I do, safety sensors are a must. Most every garage door opener now uses remote control,s that use rolling codes to transmit a different opening signal each time. Models with multifunctional controls may have one button for opening the door, another that switches on just the garage light, and a third that can switch on lights or appliances inside the house. Some wall panels let you turn the opener off if you're going to be gone for an extended period of time.

When considering a garage door opener think about the warranty. These vary greatly between openers. Some units only have a three month warranty. Our Genie units have one year on parts and a LIFETIME on the motor. Big difference so compare.

Lastly, I get asked the question should i install a garage door opener my self or hire a garage door company. If you are handy installing a garage door opener is not that hard as long as you follow the instructions. I see so many homeowners that never read the instructions and run into problems, then call us.

If you buy a opener and have it installed through a garage door company you have several benefits. You get the experience. A professional installation. A most of the time a longer warranty.

Hope this helps in making your decision.