If your garage door opener has been acting up, or you’re just ready for an upgrade, you’ve probably seen the amount of new options there are now and it’s very overwhelming. It’s not simply about pressing a button and watching the door go up now, there’s a lot more to it than that. A lot of little things come into play: the noise level, the lifting power, the kind of drive system, and even how you want to control it.

We install garage doors and openers all the time, so we get a lot of questions about what opener is best. And honestly, it depends on what you’re looking for. Here’s a breakdown of what to keep in mind when choosing the best garage door opener for your Ottawa home.

Start With the Type of Drive System

This is usually the first thing you want to look at. The drive system is basically how the opener moves your garage door up and down. The three most common ones are chain drive, belt drive, and screw drive.

Chain drive openers: They’re the old reliable choice, being very strong and a great option for heavy garage doors. But they’re also louder than the others, so if you don’t want to wake up your family when you leave for work during the early morning or late night, this may not be the best.
Belt drive openers: Instead of a chain, they use a rubber belt that doesn’t rattle as much so it makes a lot less noise. These are popular for newer builds or if noise is a deal-breaker.
Screw drive openers: These aren’t as common anymore, but they’re still out there. They use a threaded steel rod to move the door, and while they have fewer moving parts, they need a bit more maintenance, especially in extreme temperatures, so not the best for Ottawa’s cold winters.

Each type has its pros and cons, and if you’re still not sure about what to pick, give us a call! We’ve been professionally installing garage door openers all across Ottawa for years, so we can help break it down in more detail, and help you figure out what garage door opener is best for you.

Pay Attention to Horsepower

Garage door openers don’t use a ton of horsepower, but it still matters. Most models range from 1/2 HP to 1 1/4 HP. What you need depends on your door.

For a standard single-car garage door made from lighter materials, 1/2 HP is usually fine. For double doors or heavier insulated doors, go with at least 3/4 HP. If your door is oversized or made of wood, 1 HP or more is going to give you better long-term performance.

Going too small on horsepower is a common mistake. It might work at first, but over time, the motor ends up working harder than it should. That leads to faster wear and tear and, eventually, more repairs.

Smart Features Are the New Normal

With technology advancing so fast, we can use our phones for anything, which includes controlling your garage door opener. Most of the top options now come with built-in Wi-Fi and can connect to apps like MyQ or other smart home systems. That means you can open or close your garage from your phone, set schedules, or even get alerts if you left the door open. You’ll also want to look out for features like battery backup (especially important during power outages), motion-activated lights, and automatic locking after a certain amount of time.

While these features are definitely not necessary and are nice to have, when you’re deciding on the best garage door opener, it’s these little extra things that start to make a difference.

Security Isn’t Just a Bonus

Garage doors are often overlooked when it comes to your home’s security. Thankfully there’s some security features with most modern openers, like rolling code technology, which changes the code each time the remote is used. This makes it harder for someone trying to copy the signal of your remote to open your garage door. Some smart openers even let you connect to your cameras or security systems too.

A lot of garage door openers also offer extra safety features like auto-reversing motion sensors, which basically means if something’s in the way of your sensor, your garage door will automatically go back up instead of closing.

AC vs DC Motor: What to Know

Most openers run on either an AC (alternating current) or DC (direct current) motor.AC motors are an older system while also being bigger, heavier, and have more parts in the overall system.They usually use a chain drive, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing.They’re still around because they’re reliable, simple, don’t need much maintenance and are usually cheaper than DC motors.

DC motors are a more modern alternative, being smaller, lightweight, quieter and faster.Since they’re more modern, they have features like soft start and stop, which makes your garage door gradually open and close, which makes the door wear down less.They also are easier to integrate with smart technology, and have energy saving modes which minimizes the amount of energy being drawn when not in use.

If you’re looking for something simple, reliable, and won’t break the bank, then AC motors will do the job just fine. But if you want all the features, a quieter experience, and the absolute best garage door opener you can find, the DC motor is the go to choice.

What Brand Should You Choose?

There are a lot of good brands out there, but some are definitely more reliable than others.LiftMaster and Chamberlain are the brands we carry since we personally believe they offer the best quality and reliability, all at a reasonable price.It’s not only how well they work, it’s also about how easy they are to maintain.They’ve been around, they’ve proven themselves, and they offer solid warranties.We personally trust and recommend these 2 brands, but we have experience installing all kinds of garage door openers.

What’s the Best Garage Door Opener?

That depends on what matters most to you. If your main goal is to have a quiet experience without trying to break the bank, then a great option would be the Chamberlain The Quiet Wi-Fi Garage Door Opener. This opener is perfect if you have a single garage door attached to your home, while also having some smart features! If you’re looking for the absolute top of the line experience, then you can’t go wrong with the LiftMaster Secure View™ Ultra-Quiet, Belt Drive, Smart Opener. It has all the features you need, including bright lighting, and 2 way audio to communicate with those inside your garage!

If you’re stuck or want a second opinion, we’re always happy to talk it through. We install openers across Ottawa and the surrounding areas, and we know how to match the right opener to the right door.

The best garage door opener is the one that fits your door, fits your needs, and fits your budget. And when it’s set up right, you won’t have to think about it again for years.