Garage door openers are a mechanism that can be easily used and tends to last a long time. Usually, a garage door opener lasts 10 to 15 years, but if you stick to routine maintenance of the rollers and springs, a good garage door opener can last you 20 or more years. Still, there are a few good reasons to consider replacing your well-aged garage door opener. Today’s models offer increased safety, security, and convenience. Along with the other top reasons you should replace listed in this article, these advantages could have you buying a new garage door opener in no time.
1. Missing or Broken Automatic Reversing
Garage door openers created after 1993 have all been required to have a safety reversing mechanism. This mechanism uses two sensors on both sides of the door to change the door’s direction if anything walks through the sensors while the door is closing. It prevents the door from closing on any person or pet. If your garage door opener doesn’t have a reversing feature or has one that no longer works, replacing the opener is recommended to ensure safety for those who access your garage.
2. Quieter Functionality
If your garage door opener makes an obnoxious noise that you can hear from inside the house whenever it is opened, it might be time for a new opener. New garage door openers have done away with the chain that made the original model noisy and now use noticeably quieter screw drives and belt drives that make the least noise of all the models.
3. Better Security
Older garage doors are more susceptible to thieves because of the code found within their systems. The remote controls for these openers use a fixed number that never changes, making it easy for someone with a particular device to sit outside your house and steal that number, allowing them the capability to open your garage door. Today’s garage door openers work with a “rolling code” that changes every time the opener is used. This stops thieves from being able to duplicate the code and open your garage.
4. Keypad Entry
Remotes and keys can only open most older garage doors because before, there was no option to install a keypad outside the garage. This new handy feature lets you enter your code into the keypad to open the garage door. Some of the newer keypad units take it further and eliminate the need for a code. They operate by touch, and your fingerprint opens the door. No key or remote is required. Some older garage openers can be synced with a new keypad, but if they can’t, it might be time to upgrade to one that can.
5. Battery Backup
A power outage can affect the ability to operate an older garage door opener, which means your car could be trapped inside or outside of the garage. New garage door openers come with backup battery systems that kick in like a generator when you lose electrical power. Your car will never be trapped again.
6. HomeLink Connectivity
Some newer garage door openers even make it possible to open or close your garage door with your car. The HomeLink feature built into many new automobiles can be programmed to recognize your garage door opener so that you won’t need a key, remote, or keypad. Installing a new garage door opener can make it so that you only need your car to open and close your garage.
7. Wireless “Smart-Home” Features
Technology continues to advance over the years, even in garage door openers. The latest generation garage door openers can connect to Wi-Fi and your cell phone to lock or unlock your garage and alert you any time your garage door is open, no matter where you are. You can install an app on your cell phone, computer, or tablet to monitor and control your garage door directly from your devices. The app can also inform you of your garage’s temperature, allow you to set motion-sensor light control, and let you set lock-down periods for your garage door so no one can open it during those times.
Call Access Gates and Doors for a free quote when you are ready to replace your old or broken garage door opener. For garages in Los Angeles, call (323) 244-2473, or visit our website to learn more about what Access Gates and Doors can do for you!
