What Garage Door Opener do I Need?

Garage door openers come in different configurations and offer a wide range of features. As a result, choosing a suitable garage door opener may be overwhelming for a non-tech-savvy homeowner. As a reputable garage door repair company in Calgary, we often hear the same question,” what garage door opener do I need?” and the short answer is- it depends. It depends on multiple factors that we’ll discuss in this article. We’ll walk you through the most important criteria to consider when choosing the most suitable garage door opener.

How Much Horsepower Do I Need in My Garage Door Opener?

The horsepower is the number one criterion to consider when purchasing a brand new garage door opener. Every garage door opener manufacturer sets the weight limits for each model to ensure safe operation. The most common openers on the market are rated for 1/2hp, 3/4hp, and 1+hp. The rule of thumb here is that having a more powerful opener than what you need is safer than the underpowered one. For that reason, if you don’t know your garage door’s weight and want to be on the safe side, buy the strongest opener you can get. Read this detailed article we prepared for you for more details on how much horsepower your opener must have.

Which One Is Better, Chain, Belt, or Wall-mount Garage Door Opener?

To this day, we have customers that are convinced that the chain-drive garage door opener is more reliable than the belt-drive. In reality, however, that’s not the case. With decades of experience and being one of Canada’s best-rated garage door repair companies, we can say that there is no measurable difference between failed chain or belt-drive garage door openers. As a result, most of our new garage door openers we install these days are Liftmaster and Chamberlain belt-drive units. Some homeowners assume that the chain will be much stronger than the rubber belt. However, the garage door opener belt is reinforced with steel wire hidden inside. It prevents stretching and premature failure of the belt and opener in general. When comparing a belt to a chain drive garage door operator, the belt is a clear winner in our view. It offers a smoother and less noisy operation and requires no routine lubrication of the belt. However, the Jackshaft or a Wall-mount garage door opener such as the LM8500 series, especially LM8500W, is by far the best garage door opener on the market compared to any other chain or belt operator.

What Are The Benefits of Jackshaft Garage Door Opener?

A jackshaft garage door opener offers a smooth and quiet operation and requires no maintenance. The Liftmaster 8500 series also comes with an electronic lock, adding an extra security layer to your property. One of the most noticeable benefits of the wall-mounted garage door opener is its unique design. Instead of being anchored to the ceiling like all traditional garage door operators, the Jackshaft sits on the side and operates the door by rotating the torsion shaft. This design allows you to have a high-lift setup for your garage door, opening the door all the way to the ceiling.
Alternatively, you may keep the standard lift setup but install a set of shelves for extra storage at the same place where the traditional opener would be hanging.

What Are The Best Garage Door Opener Features To Have?

MyQ app allows you to control and monitor your garage door from your phone if you’re away. You can set up the notifications every time the door opens up, close it remotely if needed, or simply check the status if you’re unsure whether you closed the door while leaving for work. This is a great feature to have and is one of the strongest selling points for Chamberlain and Liftmaster garage door openers.

Security camera adds even more peace of mind if you’re worried about intruders. Not only the camera starts recording when it senses motion inside your garage, but it also can send a notification to your phone, so you can see what’s going on in real-time. You can call 911 if you see someone breaking into your garage and have video evidence of the break-in. One downside to the 87504-267 opener, which Liftmaster may correct later, is the inability to have two units with the camera at the same location. Only one camera will be showing in the app if both LM 87504-267 openers are connected to the same Wi-Fi network.

An electronic lock will add another layer of security to your property. It comes standard with LM8500 series openers and is supported by several other non-wall mounted garage door openers manufactured by Liftmaster and Chamberlain. It will engage automatically when the door closes and disengage before the operator starts to open the door. Unlike a manual lock which is easy to forget to unlock, this electronic version is very reliable and rarely fails.

Battery Backup is a must-have opener feature mandated by law in California, and it’s great to have it even in other places where the law doesn’t require it. Even if you will use it once in five years or never use it at all, it is still worth an extra couple of dollars you pay for a battery backup-enabled opener such as LM84602 or older models. It will allow you to open the door when the power goes out without doing it manually. We highly recommend choosing an opener with a battery backup if you’re looking for a new garage door operator.

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Quick Contacts

Toll Free 1 888-777-6305
contact@calgarygaragedoorfix.com
Calgary: (403) 990-9536
Cochrane: (587) 206 8190
Airdrie: (403) 990-9536
Chestermere: (403) 990-9536
Okotoks: (403) 990-9536

Calgary Garage Door Fix Inc.

Other Pages

Quick Contacts

Toll Free 1 888-777-6305
contact@calgarygaragedoorfix.com
Calgary: (403) 990-9536
Cochrane: (587) 206 8190
Airdrie: (403) 990-9536
Chestermere: (403) 990-9536
Okotoks: (403) 990-9536

Calgary Garage Door Fix Inc.