At Creative Door Services, we often field questions from homeowners that want to know who makes the quietest or fastest garage door. The key lies not in the door itself, but in the garage door’s opener. Your garage door opener is much more than a handy little mechanical gatekeeper. It’s a crucial part of your home’s security system, and there’s a world of difference between an outdated, noisy opener that slowly pries your garage door open and closed and a silent and quick-moving opener equipped with security-enhancing digital features.
If you’re in the market to replace or upgrade your garage with a new garage door opener, you’ll want to take the time to weigh your options. Keep reading, and we’ll tell you what to look for in an opener and give you our top recommendations.
Understanding the Features of Garage Door Openers
Here are the factors to keep in mind when shopping for an opener.
- Drive type. There are three kinds of drives for garage door openers: chain, belt, and screw. The main differences between them, from a homeowner’s point of view, is their level of noisiness, their durability, and their price point.
- Motor type. Garage door openers are made with either AC or DC motors. DCs are typically more expensive but offer a couple of important advantages. These motors include a soft start and stop feature, which translates to quieter openings and closings and less wear and tear on the motor. Plus, backup battery options are nearly exclusive to DC motors.
- Backup power. Having this feature ensures that the opener continues to work in the event of a power outage.
- Horsepower. Horsepower ratings for residential garage door openers range from 1/2 hp to 1-1/2 hp. For most garage doors, 1/2 hp is sufficient. However, a motor with more horsepower will run with less effort and produce less wear and tear on the motor.
- Wall control. A basic wall control allows you to open and close the garage door. Some modern ones include a digital interface providing a number of additional features.
- Keypad. Today, almost all garage door openers come with keypads as either a standard or optional feature.
- Remotes. All openers come with remotes as a standard feature. Some openers also come with pocket-sized keychain remotes.
- Motion detector. Modern garage door openers are equipped with sensors that send an invisible light beam across the garage door opening. The door automatically reverses if an object interrupts the beam.
- Built-in Wi-Fi. This connects your opener to your home’s wireless network and allows you to operate and monitor your garage door using a mobile app.
Chain drives are the noisiest of the bunch, but they’re durable and inexpensive. Belt drives are the quietest option and also highly durable, but the most expensive. Screw drives fall somewhere in the middle of the other two when it comes to noisiness and price.
Ready To Get Started? Check Out Our Top 3 Garage Door Openers
When it comes to high-performing brands for garage door openers, both LiftMaster and Genie make first-rate products. Here are just a few of our favourite openers.
1. Liftmaster 8557W
This garage door opener arguably gives you the most bang for you buck. Reasonably priced, the 8557W is one of the most advanced openers on the market. It uses a belt drive system, AC power, delivers 3/4 horsepower, and operates smoothly and quietly. And it has a number of useful hi-tech features, including the following:
- A state-of-the-art wall control panel equipped with a digital interface that provides a number of great features. One of these is built-in diagnostics: if ever there’s an issue with your opener, you’ll be provided with a description of the issue and an error code referring you to a more detailed description in the owner’s manual. Another one of its excellent features is Timer-to-Close technology, which allows you to program the door to automatically close after a certain amount of time (so as to make sure you don’t accidently leave the door open).
- MyQ technology, which allows you to—using the MyQ app—control and monitor you garage door with your smartphone or tablet. Plus, it has built-in Wi-Fi, so you don’t need additional devices to use the MyQ technology.
The 8550W is a little more expensive than the 8557W but for good reason. It’s ultra-quiet and has all the same great features of the 8557W (the same high-tech wall control panel, MyQ technology, etc.), but it uses DC power and includes an integrated battery backup.
3. Genie ReliaG ProSeries 2028
If you’re looking for an inexpensive DC power garage door opener as silent and reliable as the Liftmaster 8557W, take a look at the Genie ReliaG ProSeries 2028. This opener too is at the technological forefront and is compatible with all HomeLink and Car2U systems.
Brilliant Access Solutions Across Western Canada
Think you’re ready to improve the speed and sounds of your home’s garage door? To learn more about these models, or to discover other fast, quiet, and dependable garage door openers, reach out to us at a Creative Door location near you. Our team of trained and certified garage door professionals sells, installs, and repairs it all!
From Winnipeg to Vancouver, there is no job too simple or major that we can’t handle for you! To learn more about what we have to offer or visit one of our locations in Western Canada.