Automatic garage door openers got popular in the 1970s and have grown into a massive market with a plethora of different types of electric overhead door openers for commercial and residential garages. Automatic garage door openers took the trouble out of needing to get out of the car to manually open up the garage door. Various garage door openers can be installed by skilled do-it-yourselfers, however, for most, installation should be left to the experts. When basic safety is such an essential issue, as it is with garage doors and garage door openers, it's simply better to leave it to the specialists.

There are four kinds of garage door openers: chain driven, belt driven, screw drive, and jack-shaft. Every kind operates in different ways and your particular needs will guide you to the most ideal opener for your garage door.

Points to think about when shopping for an opener:

Do you need extra safety features for your opener? If you have little ones, this is particularly important.
Are you looking for a very quiet opener?
Do you live in an environment with extreme temperatures (in which a screw drive opener might be the very best choice)?
Do you need to have remote access?
Does your garage allow ceiling setup of the opener, or do you have cathedral ceilings (which would make a jack-shaft the most suitable choice)?
What is your budget? Chain-drive openers are the least pricey of the four read more choices.
Chain Drive
Chain-drive overhead door are among the most popular of the four kinds of garage door opener. They are the check here least pricy. They are the noisiest of the four types, here they are very durable and are a solid overhead door opener option.

Belt Drive
Belt-drive openers are quieter than chain drives due to the fact that they use rubber belts. They cost a little bit more than chain-drive openers and are best for those with living rooms on top of or next to the garage. There are also reduced vibrations associated with this opener type.

Screw Drives
This overhead door opener kind is often used in environments with extreme temperatures since they are designed to withstand temperature changes. Screw-drive openers will not suffer from frozen chains or other weather-related problems. The tracks are plastic-lined and there is very little care involved.

Jack-shaft
Jack-shaft drives are very good for getting rid of that big overhead door opener box on the ceiling of your garage. Jack-shaft openers are installed on the side wall of your garage and are great for garages with tall ceilings. Another advantage is that they are very silent.

Find a local garage door service provider who can help you choose if you are unsure about whichever garage door opener is best for your garage.


Automatic garage door openers became popular in the 1970s and have evolved into a huge market with a plethora of different kinds of automatic garage door openers for commercial and residential garages. Automatic garage door openers took the inconvenience out of having to get out of the car to manually open the garage door. When safety is such an important issue, as it is with garage doors and garage door openers, it's simply better to leave it to the experts.