Do you need a new garage door opener? Whether you need more power to lift a heavier door or something that won’t wake the family when you hit the button to leave in the morning, the Overhead Door Company of Western Kentucky is here to help. Below, we’ve outlined the basic factors you need to consider before you pull the trigger on a new garage door opener as well as some of the market-leading options we offer.
Types of Motors
There are two basic types of powers to choose from — alternating current and direct current (just remember AC/DC). The difference between the two is that in a direct current, the energy is only flowing one way while alternating currents periodically reverses direction and changes its magnitude continuously. That means the following for openers:
- DC-powered openers typically use less energy than their AC counterparts.
- AC-powered motors are generally more durable and longer-lasting.
- DC-powered are usually the quieter of the two.
- DC-powered motors often offer battery backups in case something happens to the main power supply.
Types of Drives
The drive on a garage door opener refers to the mechanism that opens the door. There are three main types to choose from:
- Chain Drive: The most common option. As the name implies, it involves using a chain to pull (or push) a trolley that moves your door up and down. Chain drives are affordable and extremely reliable as well. The main drawback however is that they can be a bit noisy, so these are often best suited for a detached garage.
- Belt Drive: Uses its namesake belt to raise and lower the door in the same manner as the chain drive. Much quieter than the aforementioned chain drive making them the ideal choice for the attached garage. However, they are slightly more expensive.
- Screw Drive: The noisiest of the bunch. This type of garage door opener rotates a threaded-steel rod to move the trolley that opens or closes the door. In general, there are fewer components in a screw drive opener than the above alternatives, often resulting in less maintenance over its lifetime
Some Options
Screw Drive Opener Models
Our Destiny® 1500 is a screw drive garage door opener featuring our strongest 140V DC motor with enough power to lift virtually any residential garage door, up to 750lbs. This garage door opener also has a top of the line opening speed, opening a garage door at a speed of 12 inches per second. The Destiny® 1500, and other select models, also include a motion-sensing light for added safety and security.
Our Odyssey® 1200 is another screw drive garage door opener with a 140V DC motor. The difference between the Odyssey® 1200 and the Destiny® 1500 screw drive openers is speed. The DC motor has enough power to raise a residential garage door at a speed of up to 10 inches per second compared to 12 inches per second with the Destiny® 1500.
Belt And Chain Drive Opener Models
The Destiny® 1200 opener has the most speed out of all the other models. This opener also has a 140V DC motor and can open your garage door at an approximate speed of 9 inches per second.
The Odyssey® 1000 opener is one step below the Destiny 1200 when it comes to speed, but is still a great option for most garage doors. This opener has a 140V DC motor, the same as the Destiny 1200, still opening your door quickly at approximately 7.5 inches per second.
Our Legacy® 920 is our newest residential garage door opener which has some really great features. One of those features is the option to have a battery backup already attached to the opener. Many times battery backups are sold separately and don’t easily attach to the opener itself. Battery back-ups are great in case of a power outage, allowing you the ability to still open and close your garage. The Legacy 920 has a very durable 24V DC motor which will work with most garage doors weighing up to 500 lbs.
The Legacy® 850 is another solid choice. This opener doesn’t have all the bells and whistles that the Odyssey and Destiny Models offer but is still a great choice for homeowners that want value and convenience. The durable DC motor of the Legacy® 850 openers can be used with most residential sectional garage doors weighing up to 500 lbs.
So, What’s the Best Choice
As with so many things in life, it depends! If you need help figuring out what is the best option for your home, talk to one of the representatives at the Overhead Door Company of Western Kentucky today.
