Unless
you love getting a good workout whenever you leave or arrive home,
you'll need a garage door opener to do the heavy lifting for you.
Several different types of garage door openers exist, from your
typical chain-driven and belt-driven garage door openers to
direct-drive units with few moving parts.
One
kind of opener is the wall-mounted garage door openers. Also known as
jackshaft openers thanks to their design, these openers provide quiet
and reliable operation with a few distinct advantages. Read on to
learn what those advantages are and why you should consider a
wall-mounted opener for your garage door.
1.
Does Not Use Rails
Take
a look at most other garage door openers and you'll notice a common
feature — a trolley rail system that runs directly overhead. On a
typical chain-driven garage door opener, the motor pulls the trolley
along its rail, raising the garage door in the process. With
direct-drive garage door openers, the motor itself rides along the
rail as it pulls and pushes the garage door.
A
single overhead rail can seem aesthetically unsightly, especially if
you're going for a minimalist look for your garage area. Rails also
require periodic cleaning and lubricating, with the latter process
leaving behind unsightly drips and stains whenever thin and runny
lubricants are used.
By
virtue of its design, a wall-mounted garage door opener does away
with the centrally-located overhead rail. Eliminating the rail not
only gives your garage a cleaner appearance, but it also provides a
number of other benefits, as mentioned below.
2.
Easy to Maintain
Another
virtue of choosing a wall-mounted opener for your garage door is its
relative ease of maintenance. Although your garage door specialist
will handle the majority of your garage door maintenance tasks, there
are some tasks you'll likely handle on your own. For instance, you
may occasionally give your opener a little grease to silence minor
squeaks.
Whether
you're tackling minor upkeep or having a professional perform annual
maintenance, wall-mounted garage door openers offer several benefits
that make their care a bit easier:
- Wall-mounted garage
door openers are easier to reach, depending on their installation
height. Traditional openers reached via a step ladder often proves
inconvenient and potentially dangerous.
- Without any cables
or chains to stretch, you won't need to have your garage door
adjusted as often.
- The lack of a rail
and trolley system reduces the number of moving parts that need
regular cleaning and maintenance.
A
wall-mounted opener manufactured from robust materials can last for
years on end, which may make it the smart choice for your home.
3.
Offers More Storage Space
Garages
are often multi-functional spaces, and homeowners can use them as
storage spaces for equipment and seasonal items. Overhead openers
sometimes limit the amount of vertical space you can use for storage,
like with stacked boxes and tall shelving. This means you have to
find alternative spaces to store items that are more conveniently
used in the garage.
Wall-mounted
garage door openers offer an alternative that frees up vertical
storage spaces. If your garage has a high ceiling, you can shelve all
of your gardening tools and automotive equipment where it’s most
convenient. Wall-mounted garage door openers also open up enough
clearance for two-post and four-post auto lifts, making stacked car
storage possible.
4.
Accommodates Vaulted Ceilings
Instead
of dealing with a low garage ceiling, your problem could be the
complete opposite. Many garages are built with cathedral-style
vaulted ceilings that make traditional garage door openers a
challenge. Some contractors and homeowners rise to this challenge by
hanging their garage door hardware from the ceiling.
However,
dangling your garage door opener from numerous brackets and hangers
isn't always the best solution. Using long brackets can make your
hardware unstable during operation, which potentially creates a
safety hazard. Some ceilings may also be too tall to hang traditional
garage door opener hardware from.
Wall-mounted
openers easily solve this problem by relocating the entire drive
mechanism to either side of the garage door. Side mounting eliminates
the need for additional bracing and vertical supports, so cathedral
ceilings installations are easier.
5.
Enhances Safety
In
earthquake-prone areas, having a garage door mechanism dangling
directly overhead can pose an unexpected safety hazard. But it's not
just human beings who are in danger of a falling piece. Any vehicle
parked underneath could get a sizable roof dent or a smashed sunroof.
Wall-mounted
openers place the motor safely to the side, which removes a potential
hazard during unsafe conditions and protects both vehicles and
drivers.
If
you want to upgrade your garage door opener, get in touch with us
at Edgemont
Garage Doors
.
Our seasoned team of experts will help you find the right garage door
opener. And we proudly offer expert installation and repairs
throughout the greater Long Beach area and Orange County.
