Choose Garage Door Opener Horsepower

The horsepower needed for your garage door opener is dependent on whether or not you want a long lasting opener verses replacing it every few cycles or the size of the door.

Choose garage door opener horsepower.

Two car garages or one car garages with insulated or wooden doors need at least a 3 4 horsepower garage door opener. Ratings ranging from 1 2 horsepower to 1 1 2 horsepower are typical for residential models. If you have a sectional double car garage door a 1 2 horsepower motor should be sufficient but a higher power model will operate with less effort and less. Garage door openers typically range from 1 3 to over 1 horsepower.

An opener with at least 1 2 horsepower is common for residential use. Garages with carriage doors should opt for 1 hp garage door openers or higher. Many people believe more horsepower is better and in a majority of cases that is true but not always. A 1 3 horsepower opener can handle most doors 10 feet wide by 8 feet tall made of lightweight material.

In some circumstances the horsepower output of the motor should be considered as well but typically in commercial or industrial settings. You use it every single day and usually several times and that means you need it to run properly for convenient living. Horsepower is really just a starting point for garage door openers. 1 3 will be able to lift a one car garage door 1 2 is best for dual car or sectional doors around 300 pounds and 3 4 up to 1 5.

The main consideration for a garage door opener is the drive type which refers to the actual chain belt or other mechanism that moves and lifts the door. Your garage door is one of the largest and heaviest pieces of moving equipment in your home. One car garages with steel doors only need a 1 2 horsepower garage door opener. Look for an opener that has the horsepower necessary for your garage door size based on size and weight.

There are three levels of horsepower found in most garage doors. Having the right horsepower for your garage door opener is a crucial part of a properly functioning door. Look for horsepower hp ratings to compare the lifting power between garage door opener models.