How to Choose a New Garage Door Opener
Which Garage Door Opener Is Best For You?
A garage door opener’s motor type, horsepower, and drive type affect how it operates, its durability, and its noise level. If you know which drive type and horsepower you want, it’s much easier to choose which opener brand will suit your needs.
Types of Garage Door Motors
There are only two types of garage door motors: AC-powered or DC-powered.
AC-powered motors are the traditional type of motor found in older garage door openers. If you’re buying a new garage door opener, you probably won’t be able to find an AC motor at all. AC motors are clunky – loud, slow, difficult to repair and maintain, and harder on your energy bill. They also can’t be updated with new technologies like battery backups or WiFi connectivity.
DC-powered motors are the current industry standard. They’re much smaller, lighter, faster, and more energy-efficient than their AC predecessors. They’re outfitted with the latest safety and security features, and can include smart opener technology.
When you buy a new garage door opener, it will most likely have a DC-powered motor.
How Much Horsepower Do You Need for Your Garage Door?
The amount of horsepower you need depends on two main criteria: whether you want a long lasting opener verses replacing it every few cycles and the size of your garage door. Here are the things to keep in mind:
- Less horsepower is more affordable but you’ll be replacing your opener more frequently.
- Heavier and larger garage doors require more horsepower to get the weight of the door off the ground.
All three sizes work best when your door is properly balanced and the weight is evenly distributed.
1/3 Horsepower
✓ Most affordable
✓ Best for single garage doors
✓ Best for lightweight doors
✗ Shortest lifespan
✗ Least powerful
1/2 Horsepower
✓ Most common option
✓ Best for average weight doors
✓ Best for doors 8 ft – 14 ft wide
✗ Not ideal for very light or heavy doors
✗ Pricier than 1/3 horsepower
3/4 Horsepower
✓ Best for very heavy doors
✓ Best for doors wider than 14 feet
✓ Longest lifespan
✓ Most powerful
✗ Least affordable
Garage Door Opener Drive Types
Unlike motor types, you have quite a few drive types to choose from. Some drive types are quieter, some are more reliable, and some are more affordable. Ultimately, this choice comes down to personal preference and what is most important for your home.
Belt Drive Garage Door Openers
Best Features:
Reliability
Quietness
Belt drive openers use a fiberglass, polyurethane, or steel-reinforced rubber belt to guide the trolley, opening or closing the door.
Belt drives are very reliable and incredibly quiet. An ideal choice for attached garages where noise is an issue.
Chain Drive Garage Door Openers
Best Features:
Affordability
Availability
Chain drive openers are the most common garage door opener. They operate similar to belt drives, but with a chain pushing or pulling the trolley.
The metal to metal function means these drives are a bit more noisy than their belt driven cousins, but they do tend to be more affordable.
Screw Drive Garage Door Openers
Best Features:
Ease of Maintenance
Speed
Screw drive openers are said to be the most maintenance-free opener as they have fewer moving pieces. The motor rotates a threaded steel rod which moves the trolley, allowing for quick and reliable function.
In the past these openers were considered the loudest choice, but recent innovations have improved this.
Jackshaft Garage Door Openers
Best Features:
Durability
Quietness
Jackshaft openers are an ideal choice when overhead clearance or high ceilings are an issue, as they mount on the wall next to your door as opposed to above it.
They run quiet and are very durable, but do tend to be more expensive than other types of drives.
Direct Drive Garage Door Openers
Best Features:
Reliability
Quietness
Direct drive openers move the door up and down using only the motor. The motor itself moves along a stationary chain to open and close the door.
With only one moving part, these openers are the most quiet choice and very dependable.
Choose From a Large Selection of
Popular LiftMaster Openers
LiftMaster WLED
Operation: Ultra Quiet
Lighting: Ultra Bright LED
Drive Type: Belt
Horsepower: 3/4HP
Battery Backup: Yes
Integrated Camera: No
Automatic Lock: Yes
LiftMaster 8587W
Operation: Quiet
Lighting: Standard
Drive Type: Belt
Horsepower: 3/4HP
Battery Backup: No
Integrated Camera: No
Automatic Lock: Yes
LiftMaster 85503
Operation: Ultra Quiet
Lighting: Standard
Drive Type: Belt
Horsepower: 3/4HP
Battery Backup: Yes
Integrated Camera: Yes
Automatic Lock: No
LiftMaster 8550WLB
Operation: Ultra Quiet
Lighting: Standard
Drive Type: Belt
Horsepower: 3/4HP
Battery Backup: Yes
Integrated Camera: No
Automatic Lock: Yes
LiftMaster 8355W
Operation: Quiet
Lighting: Standard
Drive Type: Belt
Horsepower: 1/2HP
Battery Backup: No
Integrated Camera: No
Automatic Lock: No
LiftMaster 8165W
Operation: Standard
Lighting: Standard
Drive Type: Chain
Horsepower: 1/2HP
Battery Backup: No
Integrated Camera: No
Automatic Lock: No
LiftMaster 8500W
Operation: Ultra Quiet
Lighting: Ultra Bright LED
Drive Type: Wall Mount
Horsepower: 3/4HP
Battery Backup: Yes
Integrated Camera: No
Automatic Lock: Yes
Upgrade Your Garage Door Opener
Need help choosing a new opener or want to replace your opener now? Our expert technicians can take a look at your door and give recommendations for horsepower, drive types, and brands.
We repair, replace, and install all major brands of garage door openers.