An automatically opening garage door is no longer something of a luxury that you would only find on the estates of large landowners. Indeed, the technology involved in opening and shutting garage doors is now so commonplace that you can find it in just about every Australian town and city. If you are considering purchasing an automated system for your garage so that you don't have to get out of the car each time you want to park, then take some time to weigh up the merits of the different drive systems currently available.
Chain Drives
A chain which is nothing more spectacular than you would find on a bicycle is used to either push or pull a trolley from a motor with this approach. In most systems using this technology, the drive chain is connected to a metal bar, known as a J-arm. This is attached to the garage door so when the motor is operated, the door will open. Popular as a tilt garage door opener, this technology is tried and tested and, generally speaking, less expensive than other options. They are also much favoured because they require little maintenance so long as the chain is kept clear of debris. Having said that, they produce noise so are ideally suited to detached garages rather than those which are integral to the home.
Screw Drives
With this mechanism, the opener's trolley is manipulated by a single threaded steel rod which rotates. Because this sort of opener has fewer moving parts than a chain-driven one, many makers of such systems claim that less maintenance is required. However, chain drives are generally maintenance free, so there is not much of an advantage in this respect. That said, screw-driven garage openers are becoming less noisy to operate as manufacturers make improvements in their designs. They can be used for tilting garages as well as panel garage door openers. Some makers' designs experience problems at extreme temperatures.
Jackshafts
A jackshaft opener is attached to the wall inside a garage next to the door rather than on the ceiling like many other openers. A DC motor drives the system which uses pulleys and cables to turn a torsion bar. This will raise the garage door or, when the motor is put into reverse mode, loosen the tension in the cable and allow the door to lower. Jackshafts are considered to be both reliable and quiet. Another plus point is that they keep the ceiling free for higher vehicles to be able to enter unimpeded or for overhead storage to be fitted.
Share15 May 2017
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