I am replacing a 25yr old Chamberlain that I tried to repair first to no avail. I have a double door that is insulated and the garage is heated to 45 in the winter. I live in the US Midwest where it can get pretty cold and snowy. I won’t use any smartphone/Alexa options so those aren’t selling points for me, longevity and durability are more important. Any suggestions on what to buy or avoid would be greatly appreciated. Thank you

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ConfusedNegi t1_iw39fxy wrote on November 12, 2022 at 4:58 PM

I got a belt driven one that was awesome. Quiet and less reliant on proper lubrication. The brands professional companies install is higher quality than what you can buy retail and usually come with one piece tracks instead of segmented.

I found the Wi-Fi actually a little nice being able to open and monitor the status of my door using my phone. I didn’t do it, but the idea that Amazon can leave packages in your garage away from porch pirates was also interesting. A battery backup is also a luxury that would have been appreciated during the last multi day blackout we faced.

momofboysanddogsetc OP t1_iw39wsx wrote on November 12, 2022 at 5:01 PM

Thanks, I didn’t consider the idea of battery back up. I’ll see if any local companies are running deals on installing openers too.

115er t1_iw3uomu wrote on November 12, 2022 at 7:25 PM

I live in a major city, and the Amazon in-garage delivery has been great for us. I recommend it if your area has any issues with package theft.

BikingEngineer t1_iw3jli5 wrote on November 12, 2022 at 6:07 PM

If you're open to getting an outlet installed in the proper spot take a look at the direct drive options. They clamp directly to the torsion tube, and the motors can be replaced separately if they go out. As a bonus there's no overhead drivetrain so the sound is a fraction of even the belt drive models, and also nothing to clean or lubricate (other than the door itself). The models available are basically scaled down versions of the commercial units and were designed for durability from the get-go, overhead models are a comprise design to work with the older-style springs.

momofboysanddogsetc OP t1_iw3kdo6 wrote on November 12, 2022 at 6:13 PM

Thanks, I’m not familiar with that option so I’ll look into it

Captian_Kenai t1_iw3vj5m wrote on November 12, 2022 at 7:31 PM

+1 for direct drive! We’ve had ours 6 years now and they’re super nice not having the track hanging low so we’re able to put storage where the track was.

The ones we had installed were from liftmaster, it even has a deadbolt that prevents the door from being forced up.

86tuning t1_iw3vddo wrote on November 12, 2022 at 7:30 PM

most commercial garage door companies have a heavy-duty home opener.

modern ones drive off the side and not the middle, and tend to be a bit quieter too.

they're available with smaller keychain size remote fobs but you can still get them with the larger ones to clip onto your car's sun visor.

ours is quite old, by 'overhead door' company, and its served us quite well for a long time. the newer ones are nice though.

Hummelator t1_ixtf409 wrote on November 26, 2022 at 5:04 AM

Overhead door tech here. Chamberlain- which is also Lift master is the best operator brand on the market. Stick with a trolley belt drive. The belt drives have a little spring that helps tension the belt properly whereas the chain drive models are tensioned and then fixed in place by locking two nuts. I've seen it several times where the chain was Installed to tight and it sheared the drive sprocket off. Chances are it ( or any other brand for that matter) won't last you for life but you should be able to get 20+ years of service out of it which is pretty good. (Edited for speeling mistakes)