What are the disadvantages of a belt drive garage door opener?

Belt drive garage door openers have three main disadvantages compared to chain drives. First, they cost roughly 50 to 100 dollars more upfront for a comparable horsepower. Second, the rubber belt is sensitive to extreme temperatures. In very hot garages, the belt can stretch and lose tension, and in very cold garages, it can stiffen and become slightly noisy. Third, while belts last a long time, when they do eventually wear out and need replacement, the belt itself is more expensive than a chain and a pain to thread through the rail. Belt drives are also slightly underpowered for very heavy commercial or oversized residential doors. For a standard insulated residential door, none of these matter much, and the quieter operation usually wins.