Buying New Garage Door Opener
goldcoastgaragedoor@gmail.com
September 16, 2021
Shopping for new garage door opener- A complete guide!
Garage doors are becoming a vital component of a house as they allow you to protect your car in bad weather, make your car safer, and increase the value of your home. The new garage door can provide homeowners with a return on investment of 85% when it’s time to sell their home. Whether it’s for added security or attractiveness, new garage doors are an excellent way. There are several garage door opener features you have to consider. With such a wide variety of garage door openers, it is essential to understand the benefits of belt-driven garage door openers over the safety features of chain lock openers.
This guide will help you navigate through the many options available. Whether you stop by the Jackshaft Garage Door Opener or the Direct Drive Garage Door Opener, make sure it’s the best choice for your needs and budget.
What you need to know before buying a garage door opener
While details separate the belt drive and the Cardan shaft garage door opener, there are also essential qualities that you should look for in every garage door opener. Before explaining the features that distinguish one type of garage door opener from another, we would like to take some time to explore essentials.
It is important to examine some of your basic needs and not make the mistake of buying a new garage door opener without knowing your need. Maybe you do not know about what you need for extension kits, power supplies, safety features, or installation. Here are some features you must examine:
Safety features
It would be best if you first focused on safety regardless of opener type. According to National Electronic Injury Surveillance System (NEISS), 13,325 people were injured in the garage door in 2007. Some of the causes, such as falling doors and do-it-yourself injuries, were due to improper installation. This further emphasizes the importance of using reliable professionals for garage door maintenance and installation.
Rolling code technology
Recent reports have shown that children’s toys are used to hack garage door openers. This is the reason for ensuring the safest garage door possible. The key to a secure garage door opener is rolling code technology. Each time you use the garage door opener remote control, the remote control and door opener randomly select a new code from over 1 million available codes.
The garage door openers manufactured after 1993 come standard with rolling code technology. If you have an old garage door opener, you should seriously consider replacing it with a new door opener with rolling code technology.
Automatic reverse function
Many injuries do not provide reliable safety features that are currently standard, such as the garage door opener not functioning correctly or the automatic reverse feature that changes the direction in which the door closes when an unexpected obstacle is encountered. This feature was voluntarily declared in 1982 and signed federal law in 1993.
The two most common automatic reversing mechanisms are electronic sensors mounted on the base of the door. This flips the door opener when it encounters an obstacle. Photoelectric eyes are attached to the garage door sill and detect that something is blocking them. If you have an old garage door opener, especially one manufactured before 1982, check the safety features to ensure your family is not at risk. As manufacturers of garage door openers focus on device safety, they have made great strides in improving the reaction time of safety features. The new opener is a great way to make your garage as safe as possible.
Manual unlocking of garage doors
Manual release is an important feature of garage door openers. When unlocked manually, the garage door opener can be removed from the door, and the garage door can be opened manually. The garage doors are heavy, but the spring system provides enough counterweight for adults to lift the doors by hand easily.
The manual release feature is important because you may still need access to your garage in the event of a power outage. It’s a useful diagnostic tool to make sure your garage doors are appropriately balanced. Please note that sophisticated thieves can take advantage of manual unlocking. The thief can use a thin hook or wire pushed under a closed garage door to pull a manual hanging release. Once pulled, the thief can easily lift the garage door.
Backup power supply
Manual release is helpful in the event of an extended power outage. Battery backup is another way to ensure that your garage door stays up in the event of a temporary power outage. There is a limit to the number of times the garage door opener can be used in battery backup mode. When distributing usage, a backup power supply can be used to keep the garage doors functioning in a prolonged power outage. When power is restored, the backup power will resume charging.
Security light
Security light is required for the garage door opener. The security light is usually part of the body and automatically turns on when the garage door opener is activated. Safety lights offer any guarantees. Garages tend to be bulky and filled with potentially dangerous obstacles. If you go home at night and get out of the unlit car door, you may be injured looking for a light switch on the wall. Security lights also help stop intruders. Many garage door openers come standard with a security light. Still, newer models connect the security light to a motion detector and activate it when entering the garage through the internal door.
How much power is needed by the garage opener?
The amount of power required depends on the weight and size of the door. If the garage door is more than 20 feet wide, you’ll need at least 1/2 horsepower. Also, note the speed at which the garage door opens and closes based on the door opener’s force. Generally speaking, it’s better to choose a garage door opener that is a little powerful by the door than a smaller door. The medium opening lifts the garage door about 6-8 inches per second.
The following is an overview of the various power ratings for garage doors:
1/2 horsepower
- The most common rating of garage door openers
- Most garage doors can be lifted
3/4 horsepower
- Great power to open heavy garage doors with insulation
- It tends to last more than 1/2 horsepower
- More efficient and faster to open garage doors
One horsepower
- Great for solid wood doors and very heavy garage doors
- Best power/efficiency and speed ratio
Types of Garage Door Opener Drive System
Chain type garage door opener
Chain drive garage door openers are the most common and cheapest type of garage door opener. With these types of openers, the chain runs along with the sprocket, allowing the garage door to move up and down.
The disadvantage of chain garage door openers is that they are generally noisier to operate than other types of units. Another drawback is that it requires regular chain maintenance to keep it running smoothly over the long term. Maintaining a chain drive garage door opener can be relatively painless if you know what you are doing. Also, note that the entire garage door system needs to be regularly maintained.
Belt transmission
The belt-driven garage door opener uses a rubber belt to open the door. This makes it much less noisy than most other types of door openers. Another advantage is that the rubber strap eliminates the need for metal-to-metal contact and reduces vibration, which generally extends the life of the garage door opener.
The cost of owning a belt-driven garage door opener is slightly higher, but it has the disadvantage of lasting as long as or longer than a chain-driven garage door opener.
Screw type garage door opener
If you need a quiet garage door, consider purchasing a screw drive garage door opener. These door openers have fewer moving parts than other garage door systems and use screw rods to open and close the garage door. The nice thing is that it requires very little maintenance because it has fewer moving parts.
The disadvantage of these types of switchgear is that it sacrifices noise levels in garage doors, which usually open and close slowly. The speed difference isn’t that big, but it’s especially noticeable compared to chain drive garage doors.
Hire A Professional Garage Door Opener Installer
Installing a new garage door opener requires some basic skills, such as a screwdriver, socket wrench, and ladder. It’s also a good idea to find someone to help, especially if you’re lifting the opening unit to the ceiling of your garage.
Also, consider taking the time to work on your own. The garage door opener installation process typically takes about 4-6 hours.
No matter what type of garage door opener is best suited to your needs, you can expect an experienced professional to provide you with the type of care and service you deserve. Your family needs safety and protection combined with practicality and durability. As a family-friendly facility, we at Gold Coast garage door and gates understands that your space is more than a property: it’s your home. For more information visit our website.
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