A garage door opener in Las Vegas should be powerful enough to lift the garage door to which it is attached and rugged enough to last for years. A high-quality opener should also be backed by a warranty that is at least the industry standard.
How Powerful?
The first thing you should do is find out how heavy your garage door is. Most residential and light commercial garage doors weigh between 200 and 400 pounds, depending on size and materials. As a rule, a door that weighs 200 pounds will require at least a 0.5-horsepower motor. Similarly, doors that weigh 400 pounds or so will require at least a 1-horsepower motor. For the garage doors in between, there are 0.75-horsepower motors.
What Kind of Opener?
The three main kinds of garage door openers are chain-driven, belt-driven and screw-driven. Each has its own advantages and disadvantages. For example, chain-driven openers are usually the most powerful; however, they are also the loudest. Conversely, belt-driven openers are quiet and are the best choice for garages that are close to your living space. They cannot lift as much as their chain-driven counterparts, however. Screw-driven openers are specially designed for garage doors that tilt instead of go up in sections. They are quieter than chain-driven openers but not as quiet as those that are belt-driven.
Check the Warranty
In many cases, garage door openers have lifetime warranties on the motor but not on the moving parts. Some offer limited parts coverage. Some might even offer maintenance and service calls as part of the warranty, but this is rare. It is always wise to check all of the “fine print” thoroughly before making a decision on which garage door opener to buy.