Many people who go to a garage door company find themselves confronted with a choice for which they have little information, so they will often opt for whatever is the cheapest. The truth is that the cheapest may suffice and work well, depending on how you use your garage and how it fits into the overall structure of your home and the life that happens there.  However, when you buy a garage door opener in Kansas City, depending on what kind of house you have, you may be given the option to choose between three different types of drive mechanisms.

The three different types of residential garage door openers which are usually sold by companies in Kansas City: chain, screw and belt.

Chain Drive Garage Door Opener
Chain Drive Garage Door Opener

Usually, the cheapest is the chain drive, though they are usually also the loudest — everyone in the house will know you are home if you have a chain drive and use your garage to park your car! Most people have a chain drive on their garage door, so it is not only the cheapest but the normal choice by builders. If you prefer quiet and don’t want your garage door to announce your comings and goings to the whole household, especially if you have a dog that barks at every shadow, or a small child sleeping close by, you may want to spend a little more to get a garage door that is less noisy.

Belt Drive Garage Door Opener
Belt Drive Garage Door Opener

Belt drives are pricier, but they provide all the amenities of the chain drives without all the noise. They are fairly quiet, which may be part of what you pay for, (unless you really want to know what time your teenage kids are coming home; in that case, the chain drive might be your best bet). If you can afford to pay more, belt drives are preferred by most garage door experts compared to the normal chain drives.

Screw Drive Garage Door Opener
Screw Drive Garage Door Opener

The third kind of garage door drive operates somewhat differently than the other two. The screw drive lifts the garage door via a device that is connected to a rod. These kinds of drives are popular in parts of California where the weather is moderate. The screw drive doesn’t fare well in extreme climates, and it’s also noisy. Its primary advantage over the others is that it offers a simpler process and therefore doesn’t need as much  repair over time.

Looking an expert contractor for garage doors in Kansas City? Local residents should visit Superior Door Service, because “It’s All In The Name.”