Over time, garage door openers loosen up and become noisier and slower at opening the door. When you're ready for a quieter, more efficient opener, you don't have to replace the old one with the same type. There are a number of designs available to look at where they sell garage door parts. One of the following styles may be more in line with what you want in your garage.

The Standard Garage Door Opener Design

This is one of the first designs for a garage door opener, and it continues to be used in most new home construction. The basic design layout is:

  • The opener motor is mounted on the ceiling mid-way between the edges of the garage door and back as far as the door will travel when fully opened.
  • A metal track is mounted on the ceiling from the motor to the top of the garage door.
  • A metal arm is attached to the top of the garage door and to a movable component on the track.
  • When you trigger the garage door opener, the arm is pulled along the track while lifting the garage door.
  • Rollers on the sides of the garage door travel in metal channels so the door first moves up then over the garage, parallel with the ceiling.

Within this standard design, there are 3 types of garage door openers available.

Chain drive - This is the original design and continues to be the default choice of many homeowners. A metal chain, much like a bicycle chain, is used to pull the arm along the central track. While effective, this chain makes noise when the door opens and closes. It can get noisier as the system ages and the chain develops more slack.

Belt drive - This design uses a rubber or fiberglass belt instead of a metal chain. This is just as efficient as the chain, but is quieter.

Screw drive - This uses a long metal or plastic screw on which the end of the arm travels as the screw turns. The vibration that is created as this screw shaft turns makes this design noisier than the chain or belt drives. But it is the fastest of the garage door opener designs at opening and closing the door.

Alternative Designs

To alleviate the noise and vibrations of a garage door opener, manufacturers have come up with the following designs.

Direct drives - This approach gets rid of chains, belts and screws by putting the motor itself on the central track. When you turn on the opener, the motor pulls itself along the track with the garage door behind it. This design is the quietest of the various designs.

Jackshaft - This unique design needs no central track. The motor sits on the wall beside the garage door. When enabled, it turns a shaft connected to a pulley system which raises and lowers the garage door. This unit is quiet and is good for garages with low ceilings because there are no components necessary on the ceiling.

For more information, contact Overhead Door Of Akron or a similar company.

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