A Guide to Garage Door Openers

Most homes have automatic garage door openers to simplify the process of opening and closing the door. With the push of a button, the door will open or close on demand making it possible to drive in or out of the garage without the need to exit the car and operate the door manually. Homeowners do not have to strain against the weight of the door and risk injury. Most openers are rated for several thousand cycles but the wear and tear of daily use can take its toll and eventually the device may break down. If this happens to you, the knowledgeable technicians at Garage Door Repair Dallas can repair or replace your garage door opener for an affordable price. Most people mistakenly believe that the opener provides the lifting power for the door. The counterbalance springs are actually responsible for the heavy lifting. The opener is responsible for how far the door closes and opens.

A chain drive garage door opener is typically the least expensive and therefore, the most common for residential use. This type of system has a chain running on a rail. The chain drive is part of a system consisting of balanced pins, rollers and gears. If the power goes out, manual operation is still possible.

Instead of using a chain, a belt drive garage door opener has a steel-enforced rubber belt running along the rail. This offer smooth operation and is less noisy than a chain drive opener. You will pay more for this type of opener but it is durable and the quiet operation will be appreciated if the home has a bedroom above the garage.

LiftMaster garage door openers are popular for their reliability and affordable prices. LiftMaster offers chain and belt drive units with various horsepower levels to handle doors of any size. The company's products offer a variety of safety features including rolling code technology that constantly generates new security codes to prevent anyone from stealing them. Like all openers, Liftmaster models feature a reversing mechanism, which uses infrared to sense any objects in the path of a closing door and keep it from crushing anything.

Genie garage door openers offer additional reliable options. Genie's half horsepower belt or chain driven motors are designed for sectional garage doors up to eight feet high and weighing up to 500 lbs. Three-quarter horsepower motors are capable of handling any size door. Genie openers offer a soft start and stop and feature an opening speed of 9' per second. You have the option of purchasing a separate battery backup add-on for reliable operation during power outages. Powered and charged through the opener by a 3' cable, the backup provides approximately 50 cycles within 24 after a power outage.

Like any machine, a garage door opener may experience a failure due to worn or broken parts. The experienced technicians at Garage Door Repair Dallas are familiar with all makes of openers and can quickly provide solutions. Preventive maintenance eliminates the need for many costly repairs. Call us today if you need help with your garage door opener.