Electronic overhead door openers became popular in the 1970s and have evolved into a substantial market with a plethora of different sorts of electric garage door openers for domestic and industrial garages. Automatic garage door openers took the inconvenience out of having to get out of the car to physically open the overhead door.

There are four styles of overhead door openers: chain drive, belt drive, screw drive, and jack-shaft. Every kind operates differently and your specific requirements will lead you to the most ideal opener for your garage door.

Points to think about when looking for an opener:

Do you want more safety capabilities for your opener? This is specifically important if you have children.
Are you trying to find a very quiet opener?
Do you live in a climate with extreme temperature levels (in which a screw drive opener might be the very best option)?
Do you need remote control access?
Does your garage allow ceiling installation of the opener, or do you have high ceilings (which would make a jack-shaft the most suitable choice)?
What is your budget? Chain-drive openers are the least pricey of the four options.
Chain Drive
Chain-drive garage door are the most favored of the four kinds of garage door opener. They are the least expensive. They are the noisiest of the four types, they are very durable and are a solid garage door opener option.

Belt Drive
Due to the fact that they use rubber belts, belt-drive openers are more quiet than chain drives. They cost a little bit more than chain-drive openers and are best for those with living rooms at the top of or next to the garage. There are also limited vibrations related to this opener type.

Screw Drives
This garage door opener type is oftentimes used in environments with extreme temperatures since they are designed to hold up against temperature changes. Screw-drive openers won't struggle with iced up chains or other weather-related issues. The tracks are plastic-lined and there is very limited upkeep involved.

Jack-shaft
Jack-shaft drives are very good for getting rid of that big overhead door opener box on the ceiling of your garage. Jack-shaft openers are set up on the side wall of your garage and are perfect for garages with high ceilings. Another benefit is that they are super silent.

In case you are doubtful about read more whichever garage door opener is best for your garage, then choose a local garage door specialist who can help you make a decision.


Automatic garage door openers became popular in the 1970s and have evolved into a huge market with a plethora of different kinds of automatic garage door openers for commercial and residential garages. Automatic garage door openers took the inconvenience out of having to get out of the car to manually open the garage door. When safety is such an important issue, as it is with garage doors and garage door openers, it's simply better to leave it to the experts.