Buying a garage door opener is a decision many home owners must eventually make, and the huge variety of options available can make the choice difficult one. Home owners should base their decision on their needs and preferences as well as the usual factors of price and quality, so making a good decision will require a bit of thought at first.

Other than price and quality, home owners must also remember to keep the following things in mind especially since there are so few places that offer demonstrations of these devices. These main factors that will contribute to your decision are reliability, weather conditions, the weight and size of your garage door and noise factors.

The reliability of the opening mechanism is a prime factor. Some garage door opener systems perform better than others in inclement weather, some buyers should know the possible shortcomings of those systems. A second factor is whether or not an opener has the horsepower in its motor to lift the door. Generally 1/2 horsepower motors will do the trick for double doors, though a larger motor will last longer even on smaller doors. Usually garage doors don't require much horsepower to move, but a little research into a door's needs will go a long way.

People that may feel impatient bout getting into their garages may also want to consider the speed of the opener. Normally higher end door opener motors are faster, though due to safety standards, even these generally move a slow pace to avoid accidents. A solution could be to make sure that the garage infer red remote can be read at a farther distance so that you can push that button before you get to your garage.

Some home owners may also want a remote control garage door opener, and thus must consider the quality of the remote. A clicker garage door opener operates on radio signals that are translated into binary code when they're sent to the opener device. When the device gets the right code, it activates the motor and starts lifting the door. The code changes every time the system is used to prevent both intruders from entering the garage and the opening of multiple doors at once. Generally a garage door opener remote doesn't need a very far range, but a reliable reception is a necessity.

Garage Door Drive Systems

There are several types of drive systems for these devices, each with their own advantages and disadvantages. The standard system is the chain drive system, which uses a chain set along tracks to raise the door and is set at the center of the garage. Though noisy, these particular systems are the cheapest to buy and the most readily available. These systems generally have one half horsepower motors, and are very reliable.

The belt drive opener is another popular system, particularly with home owners who dislike loud, noisy garage door openers. This system uses rubber belts to move the door, and generally run on one half horsepower motors. They cost more than chain drive systems, but make less noise

The screw drive opener is another option. This device uses a threaded steel rod housed inside the rail rather than using a chain or belt. On the one hand, screw drive openers are the most reliable openers, require the least work and last the longest. On the other hand, the lubricant needed to keep the screw drive system working can thicken in the winter and thus stop the opener entirely, and is best used in warmer regions.

The jackshaft opener is a fairly recent creation, and works differently. Rather than being mounted at the center of the garage, this system is mounted on the side of the door. The motor of these devices is very quiet, albeit quite slow.

Before buying any garage door opener though, buyers should make sure of a few things. The first is that the system has enough power to lift the garage door. One half horsepower is normally all a garage needs, but larger doors may require more powerful motors. Buyers should also make sure they can find a decent warranty, because there are many assorted conditions, particularly weather conditions, that might hinder the operation of their system. Home owners may also want to consider the noise level of their system, as some systems are quieter than others, especially if their neighborhoods have noise regulations.