Many people have heard a lot about side-mounted garage door openers and wonder if it is right for their home. Side mount or mounted openers also called jackshafts have a number of advantages. To start with they don’t require much maintenance and are space-efficient. However, these are just the tip of the benefits iceberg. The other benefits include reliability, affordability, and ease of installation.

Many homeowners may choose a side-mounted garage door opener because it is hidden out of sight. That way when you pull into the garage, you’re greeted by an unobstructed ceiling!

Image Credit Bhuvanbam

The Pros of Side Mounted Openers

Every homeowner wants two things, the first being more space and the other being something that does not require much maintenance. Now in a perfect world, you should be able to maximize every inch of your home and all fixtures or appliances will be zero maintenance. The jackshaft garage door ticks some of the pros that people would wish for in a perfect world. Some of these benefits include:

  • No Ceiling Obstruction: Since the garage door opener is mounted on the sidewall, the ceiling is clear. That makes more space for a homeowner to park something like an SUV or minivan in the garage. Having more headspace is something everyone wishes for, and so every bit counts!
  • Does Not Need Rails: Side-mounted garage door openers do not require rails to hang the opener.
  • Relatively Easy to Maintain: When you lubricate a jackshaft, the oil does not drip on your floor or car or anything else for that matter. Also, the door does not need to be adjusted because of cable stretch. Since rails are not required you don’t have to clean those, so that’s one less part to worry about.
  • Space Saving: Unlike a trolley bar installation which takes up a lot of headroom, a jackshaft is mounted on the side which allows for more space. The important thing to keep in mind that to install a jackshaft, you still need more headroom, so low headroom garages will not work. You need to have a high ceiling and an outlet at the head of the garage near to the door. Finally, there needs to be space on both sides of the door to install the openers.

Always Engage Garage Door Experts

The decision to install a side mount garage door opener can seem to be a simple enough one. However, before you decide to buy and install one, make sure to get a team of garage door experts to inspect the space. Only experts can determine if you have enough room or if your garage is the right candidate for a jackknife garage door opener.