Signs It Might Be Time For a New Garage Door Opener
Being that they’re fairly simple and reliable devices, many homeowners tend to disregard their importance. With new models being released on a yearly basis offering increased convenience, safety and security among other features, it might be worth considering a new garage door opener. In this article, we’ve compiled a list of a few reasons as to why you may want to consider a newer model, even if your current garage door opener is still working fine.
Energy Efficiency
Many modern garage door openers are designed to operate using less power – especially those with Direct Current motors. Often these openers are also designed to go into sleep mode after a few minutes to drop the energy draw way down. Some even have built-in LED lighting which is more efficient and will last the lifetime of the opener. No more changing burned out light bulbs.
Increased Safety
Garage door openers manufactured after 1993 are required by law to be equipped with a reversal mechanism, for added safety. This safety feature makes use of two sensors that transmit an invisible beam of light to one another. If something obstructs this beam while the opener is in operation, the door will immediately stop closing and reverse its current path. A new garage door opener is highly recommended if your current one lacks this key safety feature.
Increased Security
Since older garage door openers worked using fixed codes, anyone with a similar or specialized remote control could open someone else’s garage door. Considering most garages have access to the rest of the house, this flaw poses a significant security threat. To counter this, new garage door openers make use of “rolling codes” which change the communication code used between your remote and the opener every time the garage door is remotely operated, selecting from over 100 billion possible codes each time. If you’re currently using a fixed code door opener, the increased security alone might make upgrading to a new garage door opener worth the money invested.
Old Openers Are Often Noisy (So are cheap new openers)
Traditional garage door openers utilize a chain drive system and AC (alternating current) motors. Even when properly maintained and service these openers can still cause quite a racket. Thanks to advances in technology, newer openers are available with DC (direct current) motors that operate way quieter. The difference in noise produced can be substantial and this alone is often what prompts people to upgrade their opener. Some are belt driven which also helps to make them a little quieter.
New Technology For Our Connected World
Many newer openers have built-in wifi which allows the opener to connect to your internet router. Once connected you can download a free app for your phone or tablet that will allow you to operate or monitor your door from anywhere in the world you have an internet connection. This can be handy to let in a friend or service person. These openers can also be incorporated with many home automation/security systems that have become very popular in the last decade.
Backup Power Supply
Another drawback of garage door openers of the past was their inability to operate during power outages. This could be a minor or a major problem depending on what your current situation with alternate parking availability is. More modern garage door openers can now be equipped with backup batteries/power supplies which will automatically detect a power outage and allow your garage door opener to continue functioning as normal.
If you’ve decided to upgrade your current garage door opener, we’ve got you covered. Take a look at our range of garage door openers. If you’re unsure on which unit best fits your needs or need some additional advice, feel free to contact us. We’re here to help!