Chain drives are ideal for the heaviest garage door types, including oversized doors, one-piece wood doors, and wind-rated or heavily insulated doors. If you have a detached garage or a garage that is at the opposite end of the house from the bedrooms, then the noise will be less of an issue. [3] X Research source Many upgraded chain-drive models can come with chain separators to help stop the chain from hitting against the track, which cuts down on the noise of a chain drive. [4] X Research source
If noise is your biggest consideration, screw-drive openers tend to be middle of the pack. They’re not nearly as quiet as belt or direct drives, but they are most typically quieter than chain drives. [7] X Research source Screw drives also require a bit more maintenance than most of the other types. Despite having fewer moving parts, the threaded metal rod meshes against a drive section with plastic teeth to catch the threading. Without the proper lubrication on this drive, the rod can wear on the teeth and eventually strip them, so you must grease the works fairly regularly—approximately every few months. [8] X Research source The type of garage door you have should also be taken into consideration. For heavy wood one-piece doors, the extra weight and strain can wear the teeth in the inner works of the drive down pretty quickly. This makes screw drives most effective with single-car garage doors or steel doors since the thinner materials cut down on weight. [9] X Research source Screw-drive openers also offer some of the faster speeds available. Newer models can open at 10” to 12” per second as opposed to the more standard 6” to 8” per second of most other drive types. [10] X Research source
Consider your particular garage door. If your door makes a lot of noise on its track, then the lower volume of the belt opener may be moot. [13] X Research source Pay special attention to the current of belt-drive openers. Alternating current belt openers start and stop at full power, which can cause the door to jerk into movement and lead to noise despite the relative quiet of the drive. [14] X Research source Direct current belt drives offer soft starts and stops that reduce noise even further, as well as reducing wear and tear. [15] X Research source [16] X Research source
Jackshaft openers attach directly to the front wall of the garage, meaning no overhead parts. [17] X Research source These models use cables attached directly to the garage door along with pulleys and a rolling torsion bar to lift and lower the door. [18] X Research source Many models of this computerized system even include an automatic deadbolt that locks when the door closes for added safety. [19] X Research source Due to the compact nature and computerization, jackshaft openers are some of the most expensive models available, and the cable system also means that they only work on sectioned garage doors. [20] X Research source [21] X Research source Direct-drive openers still have an overhead rail with a chain, but the actual motor moves along the track with the door connected to the motor via a J-arm. [22] X Research source Since the motor moves instead of the chain, these models are also extremely quiet, and since the only real moving part is the motor, they tend to come with extremely good—maybe even lifetime—warranties. They are still on the pricey side, however—comparable to a belt drive opener. [23] X Research source
Door styles that might benefit from the additional power include one-piece wooden doors on two-car garages or specialty doors with heavy insulation and wind-load ratings.
Direct current motors are also more likely to provide backup battery options, allowing you to get several uses out of your garage door even during a power outage. [25] X Research source
