5 Considerations When Buying a Garage Door Opener System
One of the most critical parts of a garage door is the opener. However, it is one of the most overlooked features. Also, the market has numerous options, making it difficult to choose an opener that meets your needs. Discover five essential considerations when buying a garage door opener system.
1. Amount of Horsepower
The opener system controls the opening and closing functions of a garage door. Some homeowners prefer light garage doors, while others opt for heavy models. Similarly, garage doors vary in operating speed. Such attributes dictate the amount of horsepower a garage door opener needs.
Generally, heavy garage doors require an opening system with more horsepower compared to light doors. Equally, high-speed garage doors use openers with more horsepower and vice-versa. Ideally, a homeowner should invest in an overpowered opener to prevent a lack of power. Notably, most garage door openers come in either 1/2 or 3/4 horsepower.
2. Safety Features
The convenience that automatic garage doors offer is unrivaled, especially for modern properties. However, the doors can also be a safety hazard, which is why they come equipped with laser sensors on both sides of the door. Most importantly, laser eyes must always be aligned to prevent accidents. In case something breaks the alignment, a garage door stops immediately.
Besides laser sensors, also consider garage door openers with an automatic reverse system. The reverse action allows a garage door to go back up when it hits an object such as a car, dust bin, or person. You must inspect the safety features regularly to ensure a garage door is safe.
3. Drive System
The drive systems in garage door openers vary, with chain drive, belt drive, and screw drive being popular options. The drive system you choose should be guided by various factors. Chain-driven openers are inexpensive and popular; however, they are noisy and require regular maintenance.
Belt-driven openers are less noisy since the rubber belts help dampen the metal-on-metal vibrations effectively. Screw-driven openers are quieter because they feature fewer moving parts than the other models. Additionally, belt- and screw-drive systems are low maintenance, making them ideal in a home where a garage door is a primary entryway.
4. Battery Backup
Most modern garage door openers are electrically powered. Therefore, they operate as long as electric power is available. However, what happens in case of a power outage? Your garage door would be useless, denying you entry to your home.
A battery backup is a critical feature for a garage door, especially if you live in an area that experiences frequent power outages. A fully charged battery backup system will automatically take over garage door operation during a blackout. Therefore, you do not have to worry about accessing your garage.
5. Accessories
Of course, a garage door opener wouldn’t be complete without the necessary accessories. For example, a quality garage door opener should have a keypad, remote, WIFI, and camera. A remote gets you in your garage without having to manually pull up your door, while a keypad allows you to easily open and close the garage door with a unique pin number that you can easily change.
Additionally, most modern garage door openers have WIFI capability and camera surveillance. Are you unsure if you left the garage door open? Are you afraid that your garage door might open by itself due to a faulty mechanism? If so, then a garage door camera with WIFI will be great. These features allow you to access your garage door from anywhere in the world and view who is near, enters, or leaves your garage.
Garage door openers make opening and closing effortless. Our garage door technicians can help you select a suitable door opener that meets your entryway needs. Contact us for an informed purchasing decision. We are happy to go over any questions or concerns you may have.