Two ways a garage door can be opened is by using a chain drive or a belt. If you are confused about the differences of these, you will find the below information helpful. There are some pros and cons for each of them so this information will help you determine what type is best for you. 

Chain Drive

A chain drive garage door opener has been around for a long time. When the chain is pulled down, it pushes a trolley that is attached to the garage door to lift it open. One of the main pros is a chain drive garage door is low cost, which makes it popular among many people. Depending on the type of door you choose, such as if it is insulated or not, the cost of a chain drive door is approximately $1,050.00

This type of opener is widely available and can be found at nearly any hardware store. They will likely have everything you need already in stock.

Another pro is the chain drive is low in maintenance. The chain slides along a track when the door is opened. The chain is very sturdy and strong because it is made of a durable metal. There is only one moving part to a chain drive. Because of this, it is easy to find a problem if something goes wrong. Over time, you may notice the track does not slide as easily. When this happens, simply grease the tracks.

The major con to a chain drive opener is that it is noisy and it can also be shaky. This is because it runs metal on metal when the garage door is opened and closed. If your garage is detached from your home, this may not be a problem for you.

Belt Drive

If you like the way the chain drive works but hate the noise, you will like the belt drive garage door. This works in the same way as the chain drive, but instead of using chains it uses belts. These belts glide along the track and make no sound at all. There will also be no vibration in the door when it is opened or closed.

The belts are durable as they are made of polyurethane, steel-reinforced rubber, or fiberglass. The major con to a belt drive system is that it is generally more expensive than a chain drive.

Contact a garage door company who can give you more information about these garage door openers and show you how each one of them work.