Why You Should Install Screw Drive

02/13/2017 Back To Blog

Whether it is a new garage setup or a replacement for an old opener, choosing the right type is key. When you are faced with this decision, a lot of considerations and factors come together and lead to selecting a very important piece of hardware for your home. Screw drive garage door openers are not as common as chain drive or quite as silent as belt drive, but they do sit somewhere in the middle in terms of both affordability and noise. This makes them a viable compromise between spending a lot of money and getting an opener you will be happy with.

The Actual Operation

Automatic garage door openers do what it says on the tin, but they can do the same thing in a number of ways. Screw drive openers feature a steel rod which is used to lift the door. The rod will rotate and move the trolley on the track, and in that way lower or raise the door. This is different from belt and chain driven systems, as they wind up in order to move the door rather than rotate a fixed rod.

As is the case with belt drive openers, screw drive models have a significantly reduced number of moving parts. In practice, this means that opener and door maintenance get easier, quicker and less frequent. The more moving parts a mechanism has, the more vibration and movement other parts of the setup will experience. This can cause them to loosen or become unstable at a faster rate, necessitating more frequent tightening of bolts and nuts.

A Chance to Reduce Noise

When you are contemplating having a new door opener installed, make sure to keep in mind how tolerant you are of noise. Replacing or setting up a new system is a perfect chance to change anything you may not be happy with, such as maintenance frequency or noise levels.

With fewer moving parts and plastic-lined tracks, screw drive openers operate fairly quietly. Belt drive is even quieter, but usually comes at less affordable rates. Both models are suited for attached garages where noise entering through the wall or ceiling may be an issue.

Keep in mind that the need to perform maintenance or replace parts does not only come down to the opener and its number of moving parts. The garage door and its mechanisms function with and due to each other in one big system, and all parts should be properly looked after and chosen carefully. While a new opener of a type which requires less maintenance and reduces noise levels can alleviate some issues, the effects may be temporary depending on other factors such as the age and state of the door itself.