Garage Door Openers - Know the difference in motor types.

Is it time for an updated garage door opener? Know the difference in garage door opener motors.

First let's talk about garage door operator motors. When it comes to garage door operator motors there are multiple sizes. Your standard residential operators typically have a 1/2HP or a 3/4HP motor. Typically 1/2HP is perfectly fine for most residential garage doors as the springs should be doing the heavy lifting and not necessarily the opener. However, a larger 3/4HP motor is not a bad thing for larger residential garage doors exceeding 16-18 ft wide and 8-10ft tall, even more so if you have a larger overlay door, which can be heavier.

Next let's discuss A/C (Alternating Current) vs. D/C (Direct Current) operator motors. Your typical A/C motor is often a noisier motor and runs full bore until it hits its up and down travel limits. An A/C motor tends to be more brawn than brain and have been known to damage doors more often if the force on the logic board is not set properly. D/C motors on the other hand are a much quieter option. D/C motors typically have a soft start-soft start feature. This means that when your garage door opener gets towards the end of the open or close limit, it will slow down and gently finish the cycle. This makes for a much quieter and smoother operation of your garage door. Most manufacturers of garage door operators are heading towards D/C motors due to these reasons.

If we can answer any questions relating to the best option for you, give us a call at (989)600-9338.