What Size Garage Door Opener Do I Need? A Guide to Horsepower
Garage door openers work hard, and when they malfunction or break down, it’s essential to get a replacement quickly. One of the most crucial features to consider when getting your replacement garage door opener is its size.
By getting the right unit with the appropriate horsepower, you can ensure your new system will work efficiently and reliably.
Factors That Help Determine Garage Door Opener Size
The “size” of a garage door opener refers to the amount of horsepower the garage door motor must generate to operate your door efficiently and safely. If you select a model that provides insufficient horsepower, it could burn out the motor and significantly reduce its life expectancy. On the other hand, an opener that delivers more power than you need wastes energy and money.
Before you purchase an opener, you’ll need to evaluate your garage door based on these factors:
- Door size: The most popular garage door sizes are usually single and double doors, although larger versions for recreational vehicles are also available. If you don’t know which door type you have, use a tape measure to find out. A single garage door is typically 9 feet wide by 7 feet high, and a double garage door is usually 16 feet wide by 7 feet high. A bigger door needs more horsepower to operate, impacting the type of opener you need.
- Door material: Garage doors are available in several materials that affect the product’s weight. Wood doors are the heaviest, while fiberglass and steel models tend to be lighter. Adding insulation will also make a garage door heavier. Keep these factors in mind when browsing your choices, as even single garage doors may need an opener with more power if it’s made of heavy material and has any insulation.
- Available space: The more horsepower a garage door opener has, the bigger its motor, which takes up more space. If you need a new garage door opener with more power, you’ll need more space for installation.
- Noise considerations: If your garage is attached to your home or close to another living area, you’ll also need to consider noise. Openers with large motors typically operate louder. When the motor is too small for the garage door, it will work harder, causing extra noise.
What Horse Power Do I Need for My Garage Door Opener?
The amount of horsepower you need for your opener depends on the factors above, including the size of the door and its composition. Below is a guide on how to choose the right garage door opener horsepower for your specific needs.
Lighter-Weight Single Garage Doors
Typically, a ⅓-horsepower opener can comfortably open single garage doors made of lighter material. If you have a door for a one-car garage made of steel or fiberglass, choose an opener with a ⅓- or ½-horsepower capacity.
Keep in mind that ⅓-horsepower openers are less common due to lower overall demand, which could impact finding parts during replacement.
Average-Weight Single or Double Garage Doors
A ½-horsepower garage door opener is one of the more popular sizes. These garage door openers have the capacity to operate single and double doors with a light or average weight, including carriage house styles.
Heavy or Oversized Garage Doors
If your garage door is large or made of wood, a ¾-horsepower garage door opener can comfortably operate it. For a two-car garage door constructed from steel or fiberglass, select a ¾-horsepower model.
Insulation and Other Considerations
What if you have an insulated fiberglass or steel door? A one-car garage version would require an opener with ¾ horsepower, and a two-car door will need 1 horsepower. If you have a one-car wood garage door, choose a 1-horsepower opener. A two-car wood door should have an opener ranging from 1-1 ¼ horsepower, depending on the weight.
Trusted Services for the Right Garage Door Opener
At Drake Reed Door Co., we proudly serve Central Pennsylvania with:
- Trusted garage door products and services.
- Local, community-focused expertise.
- Quick response times.
Drake Reed Door Co. Has the Right Opener for Your Garage
Drake Reed Door Co. has the expertise to choose the appropriate door opener size for your needs. Central Pennsylvania residents can turn to us for high-quality garage door installation and openers from LiftMaster® that offer industry-best features, performance and durability.
How to Open a Garage Door Manually Without Power
An automatic garage door opener offers you the convenience of entering and exiting your garage without leaving your vehicle. However, these devices require electricity to operate—which means they won’t function during a power outage. So, how do you open your garage without power? A power outage doesn’t have to leave you stranded. Learn how to open your garage without power, safely and easily, ensuring you can still access your garage when the electricity is out.
Opener manufacturers recognize that these interruptions can be problematic for homeowners. That’s why they’ve added a built-in mechanism that makes it easy to manually open a garage door in an emergency.
How to Open a Garage Door Manually
You can follow these five steps if you need to open a garage door without power.
1. Disengage the Opener
If the opener automatically engages when the power returns, it could damage the motor. You can avoid this situation by unplugging the opener before proceeding with the manual opening process.
2. Pull the Emergency Release Cord
You should see a rope connected to a red handle hanging from the garage door trolley. This emergency release cord disconnects the carriage, allowing the door to slide along the railings. Pull the cord straight down until you hear a clicking noise. Depending on your garage’s height, you may need a stepladder to reach the handle.
3. Raise the Door
While the opener is temporarily out of commission, the springs enable you to raise and lower the door manually. Grasp the bottom of the door with both hands and lift it slowly while using your legs to supply most of the force. You can then drive your vehicle out of the garage.
4. Close the Door
It’s a good idea to lower the door after removing your vehicle. But can you close a garage door without power? Yes, you can! Since the door is still disconnected from the opener, heavy winds could slam it to the ground and injure a person or pet nearby. Manually lower the door to secure your garage. You can raise it manually again when the need arises.
5. Reconnect the Opener
You’ll need to reconnect the opener when the power returns. With the door closed, pull the emergency release cord down and toward the opener unit. Next, plug in the power cord and press the remote control button that activates the device. Raise and lower the door at least once to ensure everything functions correctly.
6. Call a Garage Door Professional
If you still experience problems with your garage door, it is time to call in professionals for help. Your local garage door company should be able to help you with any garage door repairs that you need to get your door back into working order.
Get Help With a Garage Door Power Outage
If you don’t want to try opening or closing your garage door manually on your own, the experts at Drake Reed Door Co. are ready to assist you. We offer timely garage door emergency services to handle these and other urgent repair issues. Contact us to schedule a service appointment or call us at 717-366-7091!