Faced with buying a new garage door opener, one of the first things you’ll have to decide is whether you’ll get one with an AC or DC motor. If you’re replacing an older model there’s a good chance that you’ll have one that uses alternating current (AC). New AC garage door openers are pretty rare nowadays, especially for residential openers. DC motors have a number of advantages: they aren’t as bulky; they operate more smoothly; and they offer soft start and stop functionality, meaning they don’t have that jarring jerk when the door begins moving. DC motors don’t interfere with some wireless equipment that AC motors mess with. It’s also much simpler and cheaper to implement battery backup on a DC motor. Finally, they are much quieter. Basically I’m saying that if you are buying something for the home, go for a DC motor in your garage door opener. Be sure to check if the opener you’re considering has a brushless motor. If not, then it won’t have a comparable lifespan to an AC motor of the same performance.

AC motors can have their power measured in horsepower, and this has been the standard power rating unit for openers long before DC motors became the norm. DC motors, because of the way they develop power, aren’t measured in horsepower. This is a problem, since the horsepower rating of an opener is the main piece of information we use to decide if it will be strong enough to lift a given door. Luckily most manufacturers have devised horsepower equivalent ratings. They often use a unit like “HPc” or something similar to denote this. This does not mean that the DC motor in question has the same absolute power as the AC horsepower equivalent, but that they perform in a similar fashion. You’ll encounter a fairly wide range of horsepower ratings when shopping for a garage door opener, starting with openers that have one-third of a horsepower. These are best avoided, as that really is too weak for even standard doors. It may actually lift the door, but having a motor constantly work at its operational limit will reduce its lifespan and the difference in price is really not worth the compromise.

At the moment, half-horsepower garage door openers are probably the most popular. These will generally lift a single-car door of up to 300 pounds. Some “heavy-duty” models may even go up to 350 pounds. This should accommodate most standard single- and some double- width doors.patio door installation plainfield il I recommend three-quarter horsepower openers as the sweet spot. auto glass repair panorama cityThese openers are usually rated for doors up to 550 pounds in weight.second hand windows and doors cork These are the ones you’d want to use for non-sectional wooden doors, those with insulation, or doors wider than standard. door handles melbourne lemaar

Since the price difference between half- and three-quarter horsepower products are often negligible I’d go for them nine times out of ten. Doors with one horsepower or more can lift the heaviest door. Very wide doors, doors made from heavy materials or of course provide maximum efficiency and longevity when paired with lighter doors.garage door repair ocean county nj My current best pick is a 1.25 horsepower unit and is basically (with a little luck) the last opener you’ll ever buy.garage door opener belt loose I usually say that in the end your budget is the most influential deciding factor, but with the shrinking price difference among models based purely on horsepower, it pays to have a slightly overpowered door opener. Save the extra $30 or $40 and go for the three-quarter horsepower model in the series you are considering.

I think the additional peace of mind is worth that extra bit of scratch. Remember that a garage door opener is usually a long-term purchase. If you pick a good one, it should keep trucking for more than a decade of normal use. Cheaping out may mean buying another one three to five years down the line. Suddenly, saving 50 bucks doesn’t make that much sense. More powerful motors are more likely to have lifetime warranties, which means that if the motor does give up the ghost ten years down the line, you can actually have it fixed under warranty. I think you’ll agree that’s the most sensible route.Home Guides Home Home Improvement Troubleshoot, Fix and Repair How Much Weight Can a Garage Door Opener Lift? A small garage door opener can easily lift a single-car door. A garage door opener should lift the door at the touch of a button, but if the size of the motor and the weight of the door are mismatched, it may have problems, especially if the door is too heavy for the opener.

Heavy Lifting The amount of weight a garage door opener can lift depends on its horsepower and the width of the door. Most of the weight is actually lifted by a tension or extension spring that recoils as the door opens rather than the motor, however, the motor must have enough power to lift several hundred pounds. A 1/2 horsepower garage door opener can lift approximately 300 pounds, which is the average weight of a two-car steel door. A one-horsepower opener can easily lift approximately 400 pounds. The greater the horsepower, the faster the opener can lift the door, although some are designed to lift faster than others. : Garage Door Opener Troubleshooting TipsThe Home Depot: How to Choose the Right Garage Door OpenerAsk the Builder: Garage Door Opener Photo Credits Jupiterimages/Stockbyte/Getty Images Suggest a CorrectionVery quiet and smooth, yet as tough as a steel-belted tire.  The 3280 1/2 HP Belt Drive Garage Door Opener is the perfect choice when you want both smooth-running reliability and quiet, or simply have rooms positioned above your garage or living areas.

The 1/2 HP heavy-duty motor is equipped with Liftmaster®’s patented Motor Vibration Isolation System (MVIS®) that eliminates power head vibration for reduced noise. It also features a solid-steel T-rail with an automatic belt tension device on the trolley, and an enhanced belt drive system for a more secure belt grip. The 3240 1/2 HP Screw Drive Garage Door Opener is smooth-running, even in the most extreme temperatures, and is the perfect choice if you want the latest advancements in smooth-running performance with a completely maintenance-free drive system. Liftmaster®’s engineers have replaced the two-piece plastic liner and aluminum rail system with a stronger, simpler one-piece galvanized steel rail, resulting in reduced friction and eliminating binding and the need for lubrication. And the 1/2 HP motor is equipped with our patented Motor Vibration Isolation System (MVIS®) to reduce noise and provide smooth operation year after year. Rugged, reliable performance is what you'll get with the LiftMaster® 3255 1/2 HP Chain Drive Garage Door Opener.

It’s durable 1/2 HP motor combined with an industrial-strength chain drive provide smooth, steady performance year after year. Part of the Contractor Series, it is the choice for value and reliability. Today's garages go far beyond a place to merely park your car. So no matter if you want the extra storage space up above, have an oversized garage door, or even a cathedral ceiling, the LiftMaster® model 3800 Residential Jackshaft Opener is perfectly engineered solution to fit your specific garage door opener requirements. It mounts easily on the wall beside the garage door, and comes with a remote 200-watt light that can be positioned anywhere in the garage. The optional EverCharge® Standby Power System – that continues to operate your opener even when the power goes out – makes it even more convenient. If all homes were the same, any garage door opener would do. But because they aren't, we offer different types of garage door opener systems and horsepower strengths.