Chain drive garage door openers are equipped with a very strong chain, which has an extremely low risk of breaking. The sprocket, which connects the chain to the motor and facilities its movement, is at higher risk of breaking. When the sprocket is broken, the chain stays in one piece but hangs down from the track. In this case, the sprocket is replaced with a new one which has the same size and design.
The openers which are designed for DIY installation have a higher risk of broken garage door chain. This is due to the fact that their drive consists of a metal chain attached to a metal cable. Breakage may occur at the points where the two components of the drive are connected to each other. Typically, the entire drive is replaced in order for the problem to be resolved. In the rare cases of broken traditional chain, it is replaced with a new one.