I switched to a belt-drive opener about two years ago, and honestly, it's been great. A few quick thoughts from my experience:
- Noise-wise, it's night and day compared to my old chain-drive. No more rattling or shaking the whole house when someone comes home late at night. My neighbors probably appreciate it too, haha.
- Maintenance hasn't been too bad. I was worried about that at first, but I've only had to tighten the belt once since installation, and it was pretty straightforward. Took maybe 15 minutes tops.
- Cost-wise, belt-drives are usually cheaper upfront than direct-drives, which was a big factor for me. I'm all about saving a few bucks where I can.
- I did look into direct-drive openers briefly, but the price difference was noticeable enough that I couldn't justify it. Plus, I figured if the belt-drive lasts me even 8-10 years, I'll have gotten my money's worth.
As for the cardboard boxes... totally feel your pain there. Every time I toss them out, I swear Amazon senses it and sends me something fragile the next day. But clearing them out definitely helps with the spider situation. Last summer I finally got rid of a huge stack I'd been hoarding "just in case," and it made a noticeable difference in how many creepy-crawlies were hanging around.
Anyway, if you're on the fence about the opener, I'd say go belt-drive unless you find a killer deal on a direct-drive. Either way, your ears (and neighbors) will thank you.
