Your garage door opener is officially broken. Now you have to decide which type of opener to buy—a screw, chain, or belt drive guide garage door opener. Which one? Well, depending on the size of your garage door and the use of your garage, you may want to consider different options. Here, we’ll look at each type and the maintenance required which will hopefully help you decide.
What is a drive guide anyway?
A drive guide is a track (or T-rail) that guides and shields the chain, screw, or belt while moving the door open and closed. It connects the operator to the trolley, which connects to the garage door.
What are the types of garage door openers?
Screw Drive Garage Door Opener
A screw drive is historically loud. A screw drive lifting device moves along a threaded steel rod. If there’s a bedroom above your garage door, you can bet whoever sleeps there will get used to the hum of its movement. As far as maintenance goes, the parts are cheap to purchase for repair, but you need to replace them regularly.
Chain Drive Garage Door Opener
Chain drives are also louder than belt drives, but quieter than screw drives. They typically have fewer problems than screw drives but more than belt drives. Chain drives include a chain, similar to a bicycle chain, which runs along a rail to operate the electric motor that opens and closes the door. The chain pushes or pulls a trolley (carriage) that connects to a metal bar, called a J-arm, affixed to the garage door. This arm moves back and forth to control the door movement. If you’re searching for an excellent chain drive opener, LiftMaster just released Model 87802. It’s built with maximum support so that it can power heavy garage doors. It comes with a battery backup, a dependable DC motor, and motion detection LED lighting. With these excellent features, LiftMaster 87802 is a wonderful option for a chain drive opener. Another new model, LiftMaster 84602, is a smart chain drive opener. It connects to both the MyQ app and the Amazon Key app. With a battery backup, 1500 lumens of light, and a DC motor, this is an excellent choice for a smart garage door opener.
Belt Drive Garage Door Opener
A belt drive is quieter and, generally, a bit more expensive than the screw and chain drives. Belt drive openers are similar to chain drives, but a reinforced polyurethane or steel-reinforced rubber belt is what pushes or pulls the trolley. Belt drives can be just as reliable as chain drives, but quieter, with very few issues. LiftMaster’s new Next Gen Secure View Model 87504-267 offers LED lighting, a built in HD camera, night vision lens, and motion detection features. This is an excellent new garage door opener that operates with a DC motor for quieter functionality. Another extremely silent belt drive opener is the new Model 84501 opener. This model comes with safety sensors, motion detection lighting, and electronic protection against forced openings. This opener can also connect to Amazon Key, which is a convenient feature for package and grocery dropoffs.
Direct Drive Garage Door Opener
A direct drive is a more modern advancement to garage door openers. The design features a stationary chain with the traveling motor carriage as the only moving part. This makes a direct drive one of the best options for quiet, smooth operation. Because of the lack of moving parts or vibration, the parts also wear much slower than a chain or screw drive.
Side Mount Garage Door Opener
Side mount garage door openers are the final option for a new motor. Unlike the other types of drives that technicians install on the ceiling, you install a side mount beside the garage door. This means it connects directly to the garage door springs, providing maximum lifting power. Because the opener attaches so closely to the door, it also creates minimal vibrations and very little noise. Side mount openers are especially popular with heavier garage doors like three-layer insulated steel or real wood.
Next Steps
From personal experience, we upgraded from a chain drive to a belt drive opener and we barely hear the garage door open anymore, which is a game-changer.
Based on how loud or quiet you want your garage door to be and how much maintenance you can handle, consider which opener is best for you. Hopefully, this post will help you decide.
Garage Door Opener Installation Near You
If this blog article was helpful to you, please like and share so that others might benefit from it, too! Also, if you need garage door opener repair or replacement services for your home or business, contact Aaron Overhead Doors today! We are experts in all things related to garage doors. You can schedule an appointment online or set up a new door consultation. Contact us today for instant help from one of our friendly customer service representatives!