Benefits of a Side Mount Garage Door Opener

The traditional motorized garage door has an opener that pulls from the ceiling or wall space directly above the door. However, this has long created difficulties when it comes to space, mechanical efficiency, and even general maintenance. 

Fortunately, there is a modern solution. It’s called a jackshaft or, more descriptively, a side mount garage door opener. This design sits directly alongside your door opening near the top, using a small motor to turn a shaft that pulls up your garage door. A jackshaft doesn’t take long to install, and it can give your garage an instant upgrade. There are numerous other benefits worth considering with this type of opener: 

No Ceiling Obstruction

Traditional designs come with a box-like door opening system mounted on a trolley bar setup in the middle of your garage ceiling. In many cases, this design limits the amount of overhead space you have and can prevent you from being able to utilize overhead storage space or keep things on your vehicle roof-rack. It can also inhibit taller vehicles from parking inside the garage. A side mounted garage door opener is not just slimmer in design, but its placement on the wall alongside your garage door means a more spacious garage overall. 

A Cleaner Look

A good side mounted garage door openers offer a sleek, clean look for your garage. Whereas the traditional opener is boxy and unattractively shaped, today’s jackshaft models are sleek and can blend in with their surroundings. It’s also worth noting that it does not require rails to hang from or be mounted on, allowing for an even neater appearance along with efficient installation. In fact, swapping out your old opening system for a side mounted one normally takes under a day to do. This means you can give your garage a spacious, modern face-lift in just hours. 

Low Maintenance 

Traditional garage door openers can last for many years, but only if you take meticulous care of them. From frequent cleaning and lubricating the rails to adjusting the cables due to stretching, maintenance is often difficult and messy work. Furthermore, even proper maintenance doesn’t necessarily guarantee longevity. Frequently used garage door openers still undergo significant wear and tear on a regular basis, and cable adjustments can still result in rattling doors and those that don’t open evenly.

A side mounted garage door opener meanwhile is much more conveniently designed and can also last for many years with less maintenance. Its lack of rails mean less space to clean, while the lack of pulley cables mean no adjustments or stretching. Many jackshaft designs don’t even come with a light, so you don’t need to worry about replacing burned out bulbs over time. 

Affordability

A side mount garage door opener offers a surprisingly affordable alternative to traditional openers. While the upfront cost may be a little higher (depending on the design of the door, spacing, electrical connection, etc.), the long-term energy and mechanical efficiency can lead to big savings for years to come. 

Who is a Good Candidate for a Side Mount Garage Door Opener?

The main candidates for a jackshaft door opener are interested in saving space and maintenance time in their garage. That said, their garage meets at least minimal space requirements above the door opening for easy installation.

We invite you to reach out to us today to learn more. We install jackshafts across a wide range of model types, and we can help you find the design you need to give your garage the upgrade it deserves.