Is a quiet Belt Drive
Garage Door Opener for you?

"If you need a very quiet, smooth running,
long-lasting opener, choose the belt drive opener."

A belt drive garage door opener is great for people with living space next to or above the garage. It's really quiet with long lasting performance. You might call it the "strong, silent type."

How does this type of opener work?

It's very similar to a chain drive garage door opener, but it uses a very strong, smooth-running rubber belt instead of a noisy steel chain. Do you remember when steel belted tires became the rage? Most belt drive openers are built using similar technology, with fiber reinforcement or flexible steel cords running through the belt.

Who makes the best one?

Belt drive garage door openers are made by most of the major manufacturers. Based on reviews and customer feedback, Chamberlain's Whispering Drive® line is probably the most popular, as well as being the best selling. Wayne-Dalton now offers a belt drive model in their new prodrive™ line, and Genie offers the GeniePro Stealth model in their dealer-installed line. Sears also offers a belt drive model in their Craftsman® line, which is built by Chamberlain.

What about the warranty?

Chamberlain's belt drive models include the best of Chamberlain's warrantees, with a lifetime warranty on the motor and 10 years on the belt. Genie's dealer installed models offer a lifetime limited warranty on their motors and five years on parts.

Chamberlain 3/4 hp Whisper Drive Plus w/Battery
Backup - Belt Drive - Model #WD962KD

Are they easy to install?

As previously noted, Genie does not offer a do-it-yourself belt drive garage door opener, but many people don't want the hassle. If that's the case with you, Genie is a great choice. If you're set on doing it yourself, go with Chamberlain, Craftsman® or Wayne-Dalton.

Chamberlain (including Craftsman®, made by Chamberlain) and Wayne-Dalton have both taken steps to make installation easier.Chamberlain developed the Quick-Install Rail System, which they say installs in 60 seconds, with no tools required. Wayne-Dalton assembles many of their prodrive™ components before shipping them, and they pre-program each opener for the wall controls and remotes that come in the box, making set-up even faster.

CAUTION: If you are going to install the opener yourself, you can save a lot of time and frustration by checking the installation parameters BEFORE you even buy the opener. It's a good idea to check with the manufacturer to be certain you have everything you need. Some models include only the bare minimum in parts and you must buy some parts separately.

In addition, be sure you have enough ceiling length and vertical height for the model you are considering, something to attach to, i.e., framing members, as well as access to a 110-volt grounded outlet. Remember, too, that some models are designed for seven foot doors, some for eight foot doors, etc. It's a lot to think about, but the little bit of extra time you spend up front will be well worth it!

How much do they cost?

Belt drive openers are more expensive than other models, but still won't break the bank. For example, you can buy Chamberlain's Premium Whisper Drive® Plus with EverCharge Battery Backup for about $270 (Model WD962KD). The EverCharge™ Standby Power System is a pretty cool option that allows the opener to still work in a power outage.

If you want to save $40 or $50, buy Chamberlain's Model WD822KD without the Standby Power System. Better yet, buy the Sears Craftsman® counterpart (Model 53914) and you're in for under $200.

What about options?

As with most consumer goods today, you always have a list of optional features to consider. Buying a car? Do you want air conditioning? Electric windows? CD changer? You get the idea.

It's no different when buying an automatic garage door opener. One light or two? One remote control or two with one button or three? Exterior keyless entry pad? More options generally equate to a higher price, but not always. Manufacturers often make more models with a particular set of options, causing other models, even with fewer options, to cost more. Think about what you really need (or may some day) before making a mistake and having to pay for it later. Get the second remote and get the keyless entry pad. You won't regret it.

What's the Bottom Line?

If you need a very quiet, smooth running, long-lasting opener, choose the belt drive garage door opener. As an alternative you might also consider a screw drive model, especially Genie's new Excelerator™ line, which opens at nearly twice the speed of other openers.

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