Garage Door Openers
There are three basic types of garage door openers – chain drive, screw drive and belt drive. The screw drive systems are almost maintenance free because they never need to be adjusted and do not have any chains or belts. This is the system that most homeowners choose for their garage door, but the installation process is similar no matter what type you choose.
Screw drive openers come with 40 inch power cords because the electrical outlet should not be installed with 36 inches of the motor head. These openers are powered by a motor – usually 1/3 or ½ horsepower. The newer models have a safety feature included so that if the door hits something on its way down, it will automatically reverse and open up all the way. More expensive models have an infrared beam that will open the door if anything crosses its path. Another safety feature that you will find is that the rolling code system will install a new code each time the garage door opens and closes.
All openers have to be mounted at least 7 feet off the floor and some municipalities require that they be connected directly to the circuit breakers. When you are installing a new opener, make sure you check the building codes for your area to ensure that you are following the guidelines. The mounting bracket for the motor must be secured to the garage frame to prevent it from vibrating loose and falling to the ground. You may even have to add some framing when you install the motor. It really is the door spring system that lifts the door. The opener is only the gadget that activates the motor to get the springs moving. These springs have to be properly set to make the sure the door opens all the way and not slip back once it reaches the halfway position. You also have to make sure the door is level because if it isn't the opener will not operate.
