If you are like most homeowners, you might assume that there isn't a lot of variety when it comes to the world of garage door openers. When your system finally bites the dust, you might be tempted to head to the home improvement store and pick up a cheap replacement—without exploring systems with better features. However, garage door openers have come a long way in recent years. Here are three perks you might enjoy by replacing your garage door opener with a newer version:
1: A Little Extra Time
When you are in a hurry, it might be hard to sit there and wait for your garage door to open. You might need to hit the bathroom, get inside to escape a rainstorm, or deliver a screaming child to his crib—while that garage door takes its sweet time. A slow garage door can even cause problems when you leave the house. If you are concerned about keeping strangers from peering into your garage, you might try to block the view of your garage with your car while your door slowly closes.
Fortunately, garage door openers today can help you to speed up the process. While the average speed of most garage door openers is around 7 inches of lift or drop per second, newer models can move twice as quickly. To put those numbers into perspective, if you have a garage door that is 15 feet high, it might take as long as 25 seconds to open or close your garage door. However, with a newer model, you might be able to get in or out in as little as 12.5 seconds.
Quicker garage door openers are also helpful for drivers who tend to be impatient about pulling into the garage. If your spouse or teenager decides to pull in before that door is all the way open, they might bend garage door panels or break your door altogether. However, a faster opener might help that door to get out of the way.
2: Storage Space
If you use your garage to store things like holiday decorations, power tools, and gardening equipment, you might have some pretty strong feelings about that bulky, ceiling-mounted garage door opener. In addition to looking terrible and being difficult to access, that garage door opener might make it hard to store overhead racks or bikes.
However, some manufacturers offer wall or side mount garage door openers, which are attached to the side wall of your garage. Apart from being installed in a different place, side mount garage door openers work just like regular units. The control mechanism is attached to your garage door torsion bar to open and close your door.
In addition to freeing up ceiling storage space, wall mounted garage door openers also make it easy to program your garage door. If you need to change your garage door code or program a new remote, you might have easy access to that "learn" button, instead of pulling out that rickety ladder and running back and forth to your keypad.
3: Troubleshooting Help
Once your garage door starts making noise, you might find yourself devoting an entire Saturday to greasing tracks, trying to diagnose strange sounds, and resetting your system. Unfortunately, unless you moonlight as a garage door contractor, it might seem impossible to find the problems on your own.
Fortunately, some new garage door openers are designed with the average homeowner in mind. To make troubleshooting easier, some systems contain LED lights near major junction points that will light up if there is a problem. For example, there might be a light near the springs, the tracks, and the main control panel itself. If problems arise, the proper lights will blink, making it easier to start your repairs.
With a brand new garage door opener, you might be able to get home a little quicker, keep your garage tidy, and resolve problems like a pro. To learn more about the benefits of a new garage door opener, contact a garage door professional.
Share10 November 2015
How secure your garage door is depends on several elements. How old is the garage door? How well is it maintained? Are there broken windows? Do you have a lock on the door? These are just a few things to check for to find out just how secure your garage door is. Chances are, the items that you store in your garage are of great value, and if they are stolen, they could be hard to replace. This blog is all about increasing garage security. You will learn when to replace the garage door, find out about the different kinds of locks and tips for making the garage as secure as it possibly can be.