Garage door opener recommendations

[BOB OLINGER]

Our Genie garage door opener hit the dust. It was a screw drive, lasted for a good many years. The door store said no replacement parts (motor) are available, so need to replace the entire unit. I plan to purchase and replace myself. In a quick look, the Chamberlain belt drive had rave reviews. Anyone with comments or recommendation?

Thanks.

[Bill Bukovec]

My neighbor has a Lift Master. Very nice. It has a motion detector so that when you go into the garage, the light comes on. No fumbling for the light switch.

[Jerome Stanek]

I have had real good luck with Craftsman openers. I get mine from the repair center for about half price only had one go bad and it was over 10 years old. I installed about 20 of them.

[Erik Loza]

I have had real good luck with Craftsman openers. I get mine from the repair center for about half price only had one go bad and it was over 10 years old. I installed about 20 of them.

+1 on Craftsman. We've had a screw-drive one for almost 10 years. No issues, works like a champ. I have heard that all the Craftsman ones are made by Chamberlain but don't quote me on that.

Erik Loza
Minimax USA

[Myk Rian]

Chamberlain belt drive. The Myq system will let you control house items (lights, temp, etc) from your car, if you want to go that route.
Chamberlain gets great reviews.

[Bob Rufener]

We built our house in 1975. About 2 years later, I installed a Craftsman chain drive opener. It is still going strong. Because of some broken part in the remotes, I have had to solder a door bell button to each remote. Ugly but it still functions just fine. Make sure you get an opener based on the weight of the door. You don't want to install an underpowered opener. I am sure there are others out there that are good as well but I sure am not complaining about mine.

[Randy Red Bemont]

I've got Lift Master and really like them. I've had that brand in my last three houses and have had nothing but good luck with them.

Red

[Scott Hackler]

Keep in mind that a properly installed door, should be able to be raised and lowered with almost no effort. The spring tension sets the equalization of the weight. Without the opener install or engaged you should be able to raise or lower the door to any position and it stay there. Once that is set a 1/2HP opener is all you really need for a regular door with torsion springs. Doors with regular coil springs might require the 3/4HP models because they usually can't be equalized on their weight.

Brand wise... All the ones listed should be fine for residential use. I just replaced mine with a Genie worm drive and it works "OK" but the remote sensor range isn't nearly as good as the Chamberlain it replaced.

[Brian Elfert]

Lift Master is made by Chamberlain so the same remotes and accessories work on both. I am not sure if Lift Master is considered a premium brand or if Lift Master is just a second brand.

I had a Genie in my previous house and just had a Lift Master or Chamberlain put in my current house when garage door was replaced. Both brands seem to work well.

[Jerome Stanek]

As for the right HP for the door if the door is properly adjusted any operator will be fine. I have installed 1/4 hp openers on 8 ft tall 20ft wide doors bout 30 years ago that are still going strong just have to check them every few years.

[James Baker SD]

I installed a Craftsman when the previous unit died. I have never been satisfied with its performance (mainly do not like the flimsy, multi-piece track), but maybe my door is just horribly out of balance.

[Duane Meadows]

Anything by Chamberlain.. that includes both Craftsman an I believe Liftmaster, and other brands as well. My "current" Craftsman is about 20 years old. The newer ones are still pretty good, even with the multi-piece track. Yes, assuming the door is in good repair and adjusted.

1/2 HP should lift any properly adjusted door. Should be able to lift the door half way, let go, and it should pretty much stay there. They are "openers", not "lifters". Barring medical problems, if you can't lift it, you should repair it, else the opener won't last, period! I have seen installations with one opener pulling 2 16" doors with a bracket connecting the corners of the doors and the opener mounted between the doors. I don't recommend that of course, but it will work IF both doors are in good repair and properly adjusted.

Oh, and don't grease the door tracks! Lube the hinges and rollers, you want the rollers to roll, not slide.

Wouldn't touch a newer Genie with a 10 ft pole!

[Dave Lehnert]

If I had good luck with the Genie I would stick with that brand. My Genie opener is around 25 years old and just replaced the first part on it.
Home Depot over Christmas had a Genie screw drive opener for $179.

[Charlie Barnes]

Another vote for Chamberlain belt drive. I just replaced an 18 year old Craftsman screw drive after the board went out in it (wouldn't close by remote about half of the time). I could get a replacement board for $106 plus shipping or a new opener from Lowes for $160. To me that's a no-brainer. The belt drive is significantly quieter than our old screw drive. I just put it in about 2 months ago, so I can't really comment yet on longevity.

Charlie

[Joe Kieve]

I have a Lift Master belt drive and I love it. Had it for about 5 years and no problems. Has a battery back-up so that it can be opened if we lose power and belt is supposedly guaranteed for life. Sensor cuts the light on when I when I enter the garage from the house or from the outside. Remote will open the door about 200 feet from the house, so it's open when I pull in the driveway.

[Mike Henderson]

In my experience, the belt drive units are pretty quiet. The old chain drive units could be loud. I've always used the Craftsman units and installed them myself. Not really difficult, even if you're putting an opener on a new door. As others have said, make sure the door is balanced by the springs.

Mike

[Jim Matthews]

Get the version made by Chamberlain that offers a battery backup.

Unless your garage is on auxiliary power, you'll be forced to
go inside and disconnect the lift to open the door.

When that happens, it will be raining and there will be ice on the driveway.

+1 on the belt drive, mine replaced a screwdrive (for the same reasons described)
and the companion of the same vintage is in the other bay.

The belt drive sort of 'burbles', the screwdrive rumbles enough to move
furniture around the Master suite, above the garage.

The tracks will probably be the same length, if you buy another from the same maker.
You can reuse the same hangers, and that's half the installation time.

[Stew Hagerty]

I too have a Lift Master (considered Chamberlain's Professional Line) 1/2hp Screw Drive on each of my doors, 1-7X9 and 1-16X9. My garage doors are 2" thick insulated "sandwich" doors (steel/foam/steel), and they've been my house since I built it in 2000. Never one single problem.
Although, if I were to buy a new one now, I would opt for the Battery Backup feature that was not available in 2K.