Garage Door Opener

[HuskerOmaha]

Guys,

Looking to replace my current garage door opener. It is super loud, chain driven. I'm looking for something that is QUIET. I also want something that seems to minimize vibrations to the two bedrooms of my young sons that sleep above the garage. I won't be moving for a couple years so I need to get this done....coming home late it wakes up the toddler it vibrates his floor and the noise level is unacceptable.

Suggestions?

I'll take the opener off and just move the door up and down to test how loud that actually is, but it doesn't seem too bad from memory.

My father-in-law suggested the Sears beltdrive models.

[Kevin_Wadsworth]

I don't have much in the way of advice (perhaps call a garage door repairman/installer in your area - they would have a lot of experience).

Mine is a 10-year old Genie chain driev that was billed as "quiet". I'm sure newer belt drive models are better, but mine isn't all that loud. the noice on mine comes from incredibly squeaky wheels on the door iteself. I've tried WD40, but they make an awful noise.

[Dondino]

I'm by no means an expert on the subject but I hear silicon spray properly lubes the track and moving parts on a garage door, thus quieting them. Sounds like to me though your issue is with vibrations? Do you lube up the door regularly? Sorry, not trying to insult your intelligence here.

Kevin: From what I've read, you should not use WD40 on a garage door or moreso, it depends on the material of the rollers. Nylon rollers are used commonly nowadays and WD40 breaks down nylon. Silicon based lubricants have been recommeded to me by garage door repair men (sensor issue).

[Bucketfoot]

I don't know how it compares to a belt drive, but my screw drive Genie is significantly quieter than my previous chain drives were.

[eljay]

FWIW, this year we (the wife and I, not the royal "we" ;) ) replaced our ten-year-old Chamberlain chain-drive GDO with a Chamberlain "Whisper Drive" belt-drive unit from Lowe's. We noticed a substantial decrease in both noise and vibration. :applause:

Now, I don't have any professional reviews or nice graphs to back up my claim, so you'll just have to take my word for it. :salute:

And, as always, YMMV. :)

[mojave]

This one is a little noisy:

[eljay]

Cool GDO, but a pain in the ass to reset! ;)

[ben9732]

I think the opportunity for REW to be used cross evaluating openers was lost here by eljay, but we'll have to make due.

The belt drives tend to be the quietest, but that can also vary between models and manufacturers. If you've got squeaks, it's not always the wheels. Sometimes the axle in the hinges can be a cause, the tightness of the tracks, or if the unit is a tension spring over the door, how the brackets and hardware interact. Sometimes installers leave out the plastic bushings, or the brackets have been installed wrong. You just have to go through the painstaking hunt to find where the squeak is coming from. It's like putting the sub in the listening position and moving around the room to find the sweet spot.

Another thing that can quiet a chain down somewhat is to check that the spring tension is still correct. Try to open the door manually. Over time the springs loose tension and the chain and motor have to work harder.

For a pro review, here's the best I can do:

http://www.consumersearch.com/garage-door-openers

[paw]

Belt drives are quieter than chain drives. I have both. I don't have experience with screw drives. I also have some special rubber dampers to hang the opener with. They have screws on both ends. I guess one day, I'll install them. You have to rearrange the hangers to install them. My kids are now 15 & 17. They sleep through ANYTHING. Including my wife and I yelling at them to wake up in the morning. :mad:

Chamberlain use to make Sears GDOs. They are decent to very good.

My garage door repairman said to put NOTHING on the tracks and roller surface. The previous owner greased the tracks. You're supposed to grease the rollers' bearings. Yeah, right! My noise issue is the rollers (cheap and now worn out) and the garage door itself. The repairman quote about $100 a door to replace the rollers. I bet the 3 doors would be $1,000 a piece to replace! :eek:

You could try rubber washers under the lag bolts attaching the tracks to the ceiling/floor joists. If the door is the issue.

[eljay]

I think the opportunity for REW to be used cross evaluating openers was lost here by eljay, but we'll have to make due.

Maybe I'll get Nels to take measurements with his Omnimic when he's in town this coming weekend... ;) :D

[fitzwaddle]

Mine has been dead for about four years, and I still haven't replaced it - boo me - getting tired of lifting the door from the bottom seal manually to get in (no cars in the garage atm though - just my workshop / storage / mess).

[ben9732]

..... My garage door repairman said to put NOTHING on the tracks and roller surface. The previous owner greased the tracks. You're supposed to grease the rollers' bearings. Yeah, right! My noise issue is the rollers (cheap and now worn out) and the garage door itself. The repairman quote about $100 a door to replace the rollers. I bet the 3 doors would be $1,000 a piece to replace! :eek:

You could try rubber washers under the lag bolts attaching the tracks to the ceiling/floor joists. If the door is the issue.

Correct, no lube on the track or wheels, just the bearing. Wheel assemblies are easy to change out, just leave the door down and unbolt one hinge, replace that wheel, bolt back up and move to the next.

Rubber washers under the lags won't do anything as the hard connection is still through the lag. Just like noise insulating a theater wall, you need to fully isolate. Rubber washers on both sides of the hanger with the lag not touching metal would work though.

[HuskerOmaha]

Amazon. $198. Done.

Chamberlain WD822KD Whisper Drive 1/2-HP Belt Drive Garage Door Opener

[HuskerOmaha]

Amazon. $198. Done.

Chamberlain WD822KD Whisper Drive 1/2-HP Belt Drive Garage Door Opener

I'll make sure to take SPL reading with my current setup, and then the beltless model. Chain vs Belt. Both 1/2 HP. Should be interesting! :D
I'll also time each and put them through their paces. Maybe even see how far away from the driveway the sensors for each compare. Right now my current setup requires the grill of my cars to nearly touch the door! :doh! 1:

[wje]

Amazon. $198. Done.

Chamberlain WD822KD Whisper Drive 1/2-HP Belt Drive Garage Door Opener

I think you've made a great move. Chamberlain makes good door openers. I have one of their screw-drive openers on one door and a Craftsman chain-drive on the other side. For quite a few years, Chamberlain made the openers for Sears - though, I'm not sure if it's true today, though.

Also, when it comes to the mounts where you probably have lag bolts screwed into the ceiling joists to hold everything secure, you could back out each lag bolt, one at a time. Then, slip a larger rubber washer / grommet / O-ring between the metal brace and your joist or drywall. This would allow some of the additional vibration to be absorbed - as opposed to traveling up the wood and rattling the upstairs of your home.

Good luck!