OT: Garage door openers

[Jeff N.]

Our new house will need a pair of garage door openers. Nothing special about the doors; single slot with a multipart hinged door.

Any garage door openers I should look for or specifically avoid?

Thx!

[winfred]

i like the screw drive genie that we got to replace the chain drive unit that ate itself, it's quiet fast and the release is easy to deal with, it can engauge anywhere on the track instead of needing to mate up with the shuttle, for that reason alone i will stick with screw drive in the future

[calmloki]

our belt drive has lasted 6 years so far - toothed fiber belt - way quieter than chain or screw, my only question is longevity....

[SchnellE34]

your question reminded me of a trick I saw on discovery channel's 'it takes a theif' show. With auto garage door openers you want to shorten the cord on the quick release handle so that someone will not be able just break the window and pull the quick release.

As for brands I have no idea, just my .02

[onewhippedpuppy]

The lumberyard I used to manage sold and installed Chamberland openers, never had any problems with them. Some 10-15 years on some with no issues, and most were the cheaper chain drives.

[Russell]

Overhead door company seems good. They made a custom size door for us many many years ago. everything still works.

[Kalevera]

Likewise -- I'm sure it isn't up to doing commercial duty work, but the screw drive genie is fast, quiet and seems to be reliable in the coupla years that I've dealt with it.

[winfred]

mine does a huge door, it's a 2 car but it's big enough that 3 will fit in a pinch


Likewise -- I'm sure it isn't up to doing commercial duty work, but the screw drive genie is fast, quiet and seems to be reliable in the coupla years that I've dealt with it.

[joshua43214]

I have a sears in my garage that my PO installed. when the remote finaly died, it cost me $10.00 more to buy an entire new opener than to buy just a new remote. Took me 20 minutes to install the new opener since it bolted irght up to the old hardware, and I just aimed the lasers at each other and screwed them to the ceiling.

Don't buy a sears, the remotes cost too much to replace.

[winfred]

me too thought i was the only one, it would be nice it there was a option to not pay for the crap we don't want


I just aimed the lasers at each other and screwed them to the ceiling

[onewhippedpuppy]

me too thought i was the only one, it would be nice it there was a option to not pay for the crap we don't want

Did it all the time. Most people don't want those stupid things. The doors reverse when they hit something anyway, what's the point?

[Tiger]

Genie Excelerator at Lowes is the one to get. Lifetime warranty... two speed for up... normally it is super fast speed... twice the speed opening. When something is wrong, it will revert to normal speed. SUPER QUIET.

We also have Chamberlain Belt Drive.. professionally installed... expensive... it is quiet but not as quiet as the Genie Excelerator. However, it is so darn slow!

Remember... it is Genie Excelerator... other Genie screwdrive is LOUD. I know this because I installed one for a rental property... I thought it would be quiet... but nope. Maybe it is because it is so close to the ceiling and echo off the drywall.

[Jeff N.]

Thx for the suggestions guys!

[Tiger]

Sears is made by Chamberlain... Most likely it would say "security+" on it... and you can simply by Chamberlain "security+" remotes on ebay for dirt cheap. All 'security+' accessories are compatible with each other.

[Tiger]

Not necessarily. 90% of the time nobody adjusted the down force to proper level... making it lethal closing force. These setting will go off over time too. If I were to test 5 openers on this matter alone, 4 will fail immediately. Out of the 4, three will continue to crush you instead of going back up. If you still don't think it is that important... try closing the garage door on yourself lying down... you probably will end up in hospital for observation for internal injuries.

Kids and pets will be killed if not severly injured. Because federal gov't see this problem... they mandated those laser eyes... they are supposed to be idiot proof. They figure if idiots don't adjust the opener twice a year... then the eyes will solve the problem.

Even if you don't have kids, what if your neighbor's toddler wandered underneath your garage door? Are you willing to take that chance? Yep, they can sue you and own your house because of you mounted those laser eyes in the ceiling.

[Tiger]

Old chain drives are good... because of all metal gear drives. My sears lasted 25 years until motor crapped out due to weak garage springs. The newer one... I would say 10 years ago... started to use plastic gears... then the gears will break under pressure... usually weak garage springs... and bam... in the trash.

[winfred]

mine is the other screw drive and it's mounted directly to the ceiling is much better then the chain muncher it replaced


other Genie screwdrive is LOUD. I know this because I installed one for a rental property... I thought it would be quiet... but nope. Maybe it is because it is so close to the ceiling and echo off the drywall.

[Robin-535im]

I just aimed the lasers at each other and screwed them to the ceiling.

No kidding... there should be a set of "alternate directions" for that.

[Robin-535im]

Thx for the suggestions guys!
Hold on a minute... you're not getting off the hook that easy! Tell us about the new home for your E34... starting fresh with a clean garage... any plans to make it a dream garage? Hydraulic lift in the floor? :)

[joshua43214]

Not necessarily. 90% of the time nobody adjusted the down force to proper level... making it lethal closing force. These setting will go off over time too. If I were to test 5 openers on this matter alone, 4 will fail immediately. Out of the 4, three will continue to crush you instead of going back up. If you still don't think it is that important... try closing the garage door on yourself lying down... you probably will end up in hospital for observation for internal injuries.

Kids and pets will be killed if not severly injured. Because federal gov't see this problem... they mandated those laser eyes... they are supposed to be idiot proof. They figure if idiots don't adjust the opener twice a year... then the eyes will solve the problem.

Even if you don't have kids, what if your neighbor's toddler wandered underneath your garage door? Are you willing to take that chance? Yep, they can sue you and own your house because of you mounted those laser eyes in the ceiling.

My brother installed his opener exactly the way the instructions said to do it. He is one of the most anal peiople I know when it comes to this kind of stuff.

One day he comes out and finds his cat dead under the door. it made a dash to get under the door as it was closing and went under the laser, then the door crushed it.

I have the pressure setting on mine set so lightly that sometimes the door will reverse if leaves get under it. I find this to be a safer option than depending on the laser and I don't mind having to tweak the thing from time to time. All I keep in my garage is lumber and the mower anyway =)

[Jeff N.]

Bought a house a block away from the current pad. Another 1000 square feet or so + a 2 car side by side garage. No garagemahala however it will beat the heck out of the garage / carport in-line combo I've been working off of for the last 10 years ago. Might even be able to do some car jobs in my garage for once vs. Martin's.



Hold on a minute... you're not getting off the hook that easy! Tell us about the new home for your E34... starting fresh with a clean garage... any plans to make it a dream garage? Hydraulic lift in the floor? :)

[Tiger]

Poor cat... what a tragedy. Maybe if the laser a bit lower... it will catch that cat... He may be anal, but he definitely is safety concious.

[winfred]

don't have or want kids and neighbors don't have or want kids, plus i am far more dangerous to the neighborhood cats then my garage door


Even if you don't have kids, what if your neighbor's toddler wandered underneath your garage door? Are you willing to take that chance? Yep, they can sue you and own your house because of you mounted those laser eyes in the ceiling.

[onewhippedpuppy]

Am I the only person that stands there and watches the damn thing close? I've had too many times where it goes shut, then decides it would prefer to be open, especially at my old house and it's antique opener. That's why I don't worry about the little lasers, I'm standing there anyway. Regardless, the opener at the duplex I rent reversed the day I left my fishing pole on the ground, so I'm not too worried.

[Tiger]

That is adjiustment problem. The only reason it opens back up is usually the down travel adjustment is too far... that it is trying to press the floor downward. Other reason is if you installed new springs... the downforce is not eough. It is always easy to blame the opener.