A residential garage door lifts and shuts an average of four times per day. If the mechanism on your residential garage opener fails, it could become an inconvenience in your day with trapped cars or heavy equipment inside.
Your residential garage opener is critical to a smooth daily routine, so it’s worth taking the time to learn about how it functions. Not all garage openers are the same, but they essentially achieve the same goal – to successfully open and close your garage door and be able to withstand the repetition.
Learning about the different types of residential garage openers gives you a better understanding of how each mechanism works so that when it comes to a repair or an upgrade, you’re already equipped with the right information.
Let’s take a look at the 5 types of residential garage door openers:
1. Chain drive
Chain drives are the oldest technology for garage door openers and have been around for a long time. These reliable residential garage openers have a chain that connects the trolley to the motor. As the least expensive and most popular system, chain drives are still used in many households today. Some chain drives include the traditional chain with integrated internet technology for a more updated function.
2. Belt drive
Belt drives are similar to chain drives, except a rubber belt is used instead of a chain which makes for a smoother and quieter function. A switch activates the belt that pushes and pulls the trolley up and down the track to raise and lower the garage door.
3. Jackshaft
This residential garage opener is installed on the side of the door and uses a DC motor to drive pulleys and cables that turn the torsion bar and raise the door. The jackshaft keeps the ceiling free of overhead storage and are the most expensive residential garage door installation.
4. Screw drive
On a screw-driven garage door opener, a trolley rides on a threaded-steel rod as a motor rotates the rod. A screw drive system consists of a few parts and is easy to maintain.
5. Direct drive
A direct drive residential garage opener is the quietest of all garage door openers. Featuring only one moving part, the motor itself is what moves the trolley. This type of opener has the least amount of parts and requires very little maintenance.
Looking for a residential garage door installation?
Whether you’re looking for a new residential garage opener or you’re ready to upgrade your existing one, Overhead Door Company can help. All of our technicians are experienced and certified to ensure that your residential garage door runs smoothly.
All Overhead residential brand operators are now powered by DC motors, which are much quieter than AC motors. The variable speed control of a DC motor allows for a slow start and slow stop which will dramatically extend the life of your garage door while allowing it to open much faster than most competitive models.
There are many factors that go into installing a residential garage opener, which is why we recommend never do it alone. Get in touch with one of our team members at Overhead Door Company and we’ll professionally service your garage door.
