The most popular out of the three choices this opener works best with single and double garage doors that have an average weight such as a carriage style door.
How to determine hp for garage door opener.
Look for an opener that has the horsepower necessary for your garage door size based on size and weight.
Garage door openers typically range from 1 3 to over 1 horsepower.
Again this opener will only be efficient when the door is properly balanced and an opener with more horsepower will last longer.
What horsepower garage door opener do i need for my garage door.
Belt drive garage door openers are similar in design to chain drive but instead of a hard metal chain the motor drives the carriage using a toothed belt.
It is the cheapest of the three and least power.
In some circumstances the horsepower output of the motor should be considered as well but typically in commercial or industrial settings.
Many people believe more horsepower is better and in a majority of cases that is true but not always.
Ratings ranging from 1 2 horsepower to 1 1 2 horsepower are typical for residential models.
The main consideration for a garage door opener is the drive type which refers to the actual chain belt or other mechanism that moves and lifts the door.
Garage door openers are designed to replace the human force to open and close a garage door and if your garage door is properly balanced then it should only be lifting 8 10 pounds.
Look for horsepower hp ratings to compare the lifting power between garage door opener models.
If you have a sectional double car garage door a 1 2 horsepower motor should be sufficient but a higher power model will operate with less effort and less.
This is a very important measurement that determines if you will need an extension kit when purchasing your diy operator.
Extra garage door opener remotes come in handy.
A minimum of 3 5 to 4 5 is required on either side of the door opening.
Use of the belt alone would make the belt drive opener quieter than a chain drive but additionally belt drive garage door openers typically employ dc powered motors as opposed to the ac motors used by chain drive openers.
Doors between eight and 12 feet in width are no problem.
This is the area available immediately adjacent to the door opening.
However choosing the right opener can be confusing.
Each manufacturer makes its own replacement remotes and universal remotes are also available.