Guide
Choosing a garage door opener
For an attached garage I'd buy a belt-drive opener with a battery backup. It is quiet, it works in a power outage, and it costs only a little more than a chain drive.
Drive types
| Drive | Unit price | Good for |
|---|---|---|
| Chain | $150 to $250 | Detached garages and tight budgets. Loudest. |
| Belt | $160 to $450 | Attached garages, rooms above the garage. |
| Screw | $200 to $500 | Few moving parts. Can be noisy and dislikes temperature swings. |
| Direct | $280 to $500 | Very quiet, one moving part. |
| Wall-mount (jackshaft) | $250 to $515 | High or vaulted ceilings, or to free up ceiling space. |
Unit prices before installation, from Bob Vila. Installed, Bob Vila puts a typical opener at $218 to $525.
Features worth paying for
- Battery backup. Lets you open the door in a power outage. Bob Vila prices it at about $100 as an add-on. Wind and snow storms can knock out power here, and I'd want it.
- Rolling security codes. Standard on current openers. If yours lacks them, that alone is a reason to replace it.
- Enough lifting power. A heavy insulated two-car door needs more than a light single door. The opener does not lift the door; the springs do, but a weak motor struggles with a stiff door in the cold.
- Smart control, if you want to check or close the door from your phone.
Install it or have it installed
Installing an opener is a reasonable DIY job for a handy homeowner, as long as the door is balanced first. Leave the springs alone. If the door doesn't stay put when lifted halfway by hand, have the springs adjusted before mounting a new opener, or the new opener will wear out early. Why spring work is not DIY.
Repair or replace
If your opener is newer and has one fault, like a sensor, a remote or a gear, repair it. Opener repair.
Common questions
What is the quietest garage door opener?
Direct-drive and wall-mount units are the quietest, with belt drives close behind. Chain drives are the loudest.
Do I need battery backup on a garage door opener?
It is worth having. Without it, a power outage means opening a heavy door by hand with the emergency release.
How much does a garage door opener cost?
Bob Vila lists units at $150 to $515 depending on drive type, and $218 to $525 installed.