If you’re interested in minimizing noise when opening and closing your garage, it’s worth investigating your options before you invest in a new garage door opener.
In this blog, we’ll discuss the factors that shape how noisy a garage door is and how to choose a quieter option.
Types of Garage Door Openers
There are a few different kinds of garage door openers, and because each operates in a different way, they have different noise potential:
- Chain drive: The classic chain drive garage door opener operates by having a rugged metal chain push or pull the trolley that lifts the door up and down. A low-cost, reliable, strong solution for opening your garage door — but also one of the loudest. A poor option for keeping things quiet.
- Belt drive: Similar to a chain drive in fundamental mechanics, a belt drive uses a steel-reinforced belt made of rubber, fiberglass or polyurethane instead of a metal chain. That means a belt drive can operate much quieter than the rugged, loud chain of a chain drive — typically, it’s one of the quietest options.
- Screw drive: A screw drive uses a rotating steel rod like a giant screw to move the trolley that lifts and lowers the door. While known for low maintenance and upkeep and high-speed options, screw drives aren’t known for being particularly quiet.
Does the Garage Door Opener Motor Make a Difference?
The system providing the muscle for your garage door opener will, like most motors, make some noise. Garage door openers come with two different motor options: AC motors and DC motors.
DC motors start and stop with varied force for gentler operation. That makes them quieter in most cases, and they also use less energy and work with backup batteries.
Ultimately, you’ll usually see the quietest operation from a garage door opener using a belt drive in combination with a DC motor. This is also an affordable, efficient, reliable and low-maintenance option for most cases, so it’s a great choice.
You can also find models designed for quieter or lower-vibration operation, such as vibration isolation chain drives.
Benefits of Quiet Garage Door Openers
With a quiet garage door opener, you can enjoy
- Fewer disruptions to your home: No one wants the garage door to clang and clank while people are sleeping, studying, watching TV or working on a project.
- Reduced vibrations to annoy attached neighbors: If your physical building is shared with a neighbor, a vibrating, noisy garage can be quite irritating.
- Peace of mind: A noisy garage door opener can be irritating and unpleasant or even make you nervous as you sit and wait for your garage door to open or close.
Choose Us for Garage Door Opener Installation in Cincinnati, OH
If you want to learn more about having a quiet garage door opener installed in the Cincinnati area, the team at Overhead Door Company of Greater Cincinnati™ can help.
We offer belt drive, chain drive and screw drive openers with your choice of motor, so you can get exactly what you need for your home or business.
Call (513) 394-6938 today to discuss your options in the Cincinnati area with a member of our team.
