Garage Door Motors
Some countries call them garage door motors; others garage door openers. What is a garage door motor? It is a mechanism that lifts the garage door open and closed for you, instead of you having to manually get out of your vehicle, open the door, drive in and close it. This is extremely convenient in a rain storm or you live in an area where you don't feel safe getting out of your car until you are inside your garage. They can have different lifting mechanisms, screw drive, belt, as well as chain driven. They almost always come with a programmable remote control, one or more, to open the door from the comfort and safety of your vehicle.
It is important to buy the right garage door motors for your opener. You need to make sure that your motor is capable of lifting your door with ease. If you are replacing your opener motor, you need to look carefully at the model number, the amperage, watts, and voltage. This way, when you are ordering a replacement, it is the exact motor. To powerful a motor can wear out the rest of the opener, not enough power will not just wear out the motor faster, but may overtax the motor and cause a short or a fire.
The other important thing when buying garage door motors is that they are compatible with the opener itself. You can probably find cheaper, discount motors, but there are some pros and cons of doing this. Sure you will pay less for your motor, but you risk the motor not being compatible with your opener unit. It may not have the right mounting brackets, and won't fit the opening. Then there is warranty. While these motors may be at a discount, you will either not get that great of warranty, or none at all.
Buying your garage door motors from the same company that you purchased your opener from is much better for a number of reasons. For one, you are getting the exact replacement motor. It will fit perfectly into the space, connect to the drive configuration, and there will be no guess work. While buying from the manufacturer may be a little more expensive, you know what your getting, and buying from a company you trust. Your manufacturer's warranty may even cover everything but shipping, which means no charge to you.
There is routine maintenance that goes along with prolonging your garage door motor's life. They need to be kept free of dust and debris, and need to be oiled on occasion. It is a good idea to read your opener's operator manual thoroughly before attempting any kind of maintenance, and make sure that you unplug the unit to prevent shock or injuries from the door accidentally opening. You should also use the right kind of ladder, and have someone with you to help with tools.
There are many times that you will be able to replace garage door motors on your own, but if you are in the least skeptical about whether or not you can do it, or if the warranty deems it necessary, you should hire a professional to install it for you.
