Palms Garage Doors received a request for a garage door opener installation from a homeowner in San Francisco, CA. They had an older chain drive opener that made loud, excessive noise when operating. Our technicians explained that older chain drive openers were not only noisy but also unsafe. After deciding on a few quieter models, we installed the new belt drive opener on the scheduled date. The entire household was happier with their new garage door opener.
If your garage door opener is making a grinding noise, schedule an appointment with a garage door specialist. In some cases, loud and excessive noise could be caused by faulty or worn motor gear. Older garage door models also tend to be noisier than newer ones because they use a chain drive (similar to a bicycle chain) to rotate the mechanism that lifts and lowers the garage door. If your garage door opener makes a lot of noise and vibrations, consider replacing it with a new model with a quieter mechanism.
How to choose the right garage door opener?
Different drive options are available for garage door openers, and the ideal one for you will depend on your needs.
Chain drive
Chain drive openers are ideal if you have a large garage door or a particularly hefty one. This type of opener can easily manage heavy loads, and oversized door frames are highly sturdy, with the slightest chance of breaking among all other options. They can, however, be rather noisy and vibrate when in operation due to their use of chains. A chain drive opener is not suggested if you have an attached garage because the vibrations could damage the floors and walls in your house.
Belt drive
If your garage is located right next to or under a living space, you can benefit from the quiet operation of a belt drive opener. This type of opener outperforms the chain drive type in terms of noise levels because it uses rubber for its belt instead of metal chains. The door’s whole operating mechanism is also contained within a single belt, allowing it to reduce noise and vibration by as much as half. But this smooth and quiet performance comes at a steep price as the upfront cost of belt drive openers is higher than the chain drive openers.
Jackshaft and direct drive
Your other quiet options are the jackshaft and direct drive openers. Direct drive openers are installed on the side of the garage door, while jackshaft openers are mounted directly on the garage’s front wall. These openers quietly operate because they do not use a trolley and have no moving parts on the ground. However, like the belt drive, these openers are more expensive than the chain drive type. Another disadvantage is compatibility, as jackshafts and direct drive openers are only compatible with specific types of garage doors.
Screw drive
If you have a large, wide, and heavy garage door, installing it with a screw drive opener is ideal. This type of opener does not have a belt at all—instead, the door opens and closes using a rotating threaded steel rod driven by an electric motor. If you want an opener that operates fast, you must know that a screw drive opener can lift a door at 10 to 12 inches per second. The standard speed of other opener types is only 6 to 8 inches per second. However, they are noisier than other opener types, making them a bad option for attached garages.
Are you looking for a suitable garage door opener for your home? Palms Garage Doors is a local garage door company that provides premium quality garage door openers to residential and commercial clients in the Greater Bay Area. We have years of experience in the industry, and our garage door opener installation is second to none. We also offer a range of garage door services, from garage door repair and maintenance to broken spring replacement and commercial garage door repair. In addition, we are available by phone for all of your garage door needs, so contact us today at (833) 833-3361.
