How to choose a garage door opener

Planning to install a garage door opener? Here are tips to consider before you get started.

1. Never install a cheap garage door opener

They just don't last very long, and you'll end up replacing the opener long before you would have if you'd invested in quality. If your goal is to save money, watch for a sale or special promotion.

2. Understand how the machine works

An opener typically has one of three basic types of drive mechanism: a chain drive, a screw drive and a belt drive. All of these do the same thing, but there are significant differences.

Chain drive openers usually are the loudest, and over time the chains can lose a little of their tension. Screw drive openers often operate smoothly for years with little or no maintenance issues. Belt drive openers require close attention if you want them to be quiet. Because the belt minimizes metal-to-metal contact between moving parts, you end up with a nearly silent garage door opener.

3. Consider service options

In the event of a problem or warranty issue, who will assist you? While these machines are not too complicated, you don't want to be up on a ladder yourself trying to wrestle with one if you don't have to.

4. Adjust the springs

Understand that openers are not built to lift the enormous weight of a garage door on their own. The lifting is done by springs attached to your garage door. Be sure those springs have been adjusted correctly before the opener is installed.

5. Install wiring before garage walls are finished

If you have the chance to install the necessary wiring for the opener before the walls of your garage are finished, do so. Safety features on the doors require low-voltage wires to be run to optical sensors at the lower ends of the door track. It's nice to have these wires hidden behind the walls, where they are out of the way from being snagged by garden tools or anything else that may nick them.

6. Security concerns

Don't assume that a garage door opener will make your garage immune from unwanted entry in your absence. Just about every garage door opener is equipped with a safety release handle where the door connects to the track. When your door is in the closed position, this handle dangles from the track just behind the top of the door. An undesirable person can easily slide a metal hook in the top of some garage doors and grab the handle. Within seconds, he can disengage the garage door from the track, which allows him to manually lift the door. Once inside your garage, the intruder can quickly close the door, giving the appearance to all who pass by your home that all is well and nothing is happening.