5 Reasons for Replacing Your Garage Door Opener

An average garage door closes and opens approximately  1,500 times a year.  Most garage door openers will rarely fail  however when when they do it is usually happens without showing any warning signs. Thus it’s not impossible to just wake up one day and realize your garage door opener has a mind of its own. 

There’re garage door repair and maintenance practices you can do to ensure that your opener operates efficiently for longer, but there are also a few other factors that fall out of your control. It’s your responsibility as a homeowner to remain aware of the signs that your garage door is displaying. But how do you know that it’s time for a new Garage door installation? Below are some good reasons and considerations you should put in mind.

1.Safety comes first

Safety is probably the biggest concern when it comes to garage door operation. We’ve all heard horror stories of how garage doors have crashed unsuspecting users either due to malfunctions or negligence. For this reason, modern garage doors come with safety features that will stop or at least minimize these incidences.

The most prominent feature is the auto-reversal mechanism. This technology consists of laser sensors that detect if there is a person or an object in the path of a closing garage door and trigger it to reverse. This prevents the door from crashing a person or an object by accident.

Now, if your older garage door opener for some reason doesn’t support this function or maybe the sensors keep failing, we highly recommend that you install a newer, modern garage door opener. You don’t want to put your family at the risk of being crushed by a 500-pound garage door.

2.Sound levels

Does opening your garage door wake your entire neighborhood or otherwise disrupt your family due to too much noise? If this is the case, you may want to call professional garage door repair experts near you to have a look at it. In some cases, a simple fix like a garage spring repair or track alignment may solve the issue. 

However, in many cases, a new garage door opener installation solves the problem once and for all. This is especially true if your door has an opener that uses the chain drive system. These older openers are notoriously noisy and even lubricating the chains will not give the peace of mind that you need.

Modern garage door openers, like those manufactured by Liftmaster and Chamberlain, come with a rubber belt (which is reinforced with metal fibers) instead of the chain drive. This option is much quieter and most preferred by many homeowners.

3.Better Security

Your entire garage door itself is a security feature on your house, so by all means, you need to have it functioning properly at all times. And the responsibility of keeping your garage door shut and unauthorized people out lies squarely on the door opener. Which is why you should take security compromise on your garage door opener very seriously.

If you have an older garage door opener, chances are it works with a fixed code –this makes it very vulnerable to thieves. Someone with a fancy device may easily identify the code while sitting at the outside of your house, and later use it to gain access into your house.

New opener models come with a “rolling code” functionality which changes the code to a new one every time the unit is used. LiftMaster openers, for instance, have a technology known as Security+ which performs this function.

4.Convenience

Older garage door opener models can be very frustrating at times. And there is nothing more frustrating than having your vehicle locked in the garage during a power outage. And for some reason, this often happens on a day when you have a very important meeting at work to go to. While a few older models have a latch that you can manually pull to open the door, these function often fails over the years and also presents thieves a break in point.

Thankfully, replacing this older opener model with a new one comes with the added benefit of a backup battery. This battery can allow you to conveniently open and close your garage door for many cycles during a power outage. While you might not need to use it so often, it provides peace of mind.

5.Unique features and technology

Modern garage door openers come with new and more advanced technology that can make your life easier when it comes to operating and monitoring your garage door. Some openers offer cell-phone and Wi-Fi connectivity that allows you to lock and unlock your garage door remotely. The best example is the MyQ® technology by LiftMaster –which enables you to open, close and monitor your garage door from your tablet, smartphone, or laptop remotely. You also get text and email notifications when someone uses your garage door.

Bottom line

Your garage door is a strong and secure as the little things that hold it together and move it around, and this includes the garage door opener. Upgrading your opener to a newer, stronger model will provide you and your family with enhanced security, safety, convenience, and unique features and accessories.

The garage door repair pros service Ann Arbor and its sounding areas.  Call today for a repair or installation quote.