What Garage Door Opener Should I Buy in Kitsap County?
In the United States, 35 million homes have a garage door opener, which means garage door openers are one of the most widely used home appliances in the country. Because it’s such a common feature in so many homes, many people don’t pay much attention to their garage door opener — until it stops working.
On average, garage door openers last for 10 to 15 years. That’s great news for your wallet, but when it does come time to purchase a new one, it means you will likely have a lot of questions about how to know what you need in a garage door opener.
There are many types of garage door openers on the market today, which means you’ll have a lot of options to choose from. But variety can also be overwhelming, particularly if you aren’t sure how to choose a garage door opener.
So how do you narrow it down? This guide will help you figure out how to buy a garage door opener.
What to Look for in a Garage Door Opener
Just like any other type of household appliance, garage door openers are available with a variety of features and add-ons. So, the first thing you need to do is familiarize yourself with what’s on the market.
As you’re looking at all of the garage door opener security features, it’s also important to pay attention to how the opener works and if it’s compatible with the weight and size of your door. As a general rule of thumb, make sure you look closely at these four categories before you narrow down your list:
1. Brand
Different brands of garage door openers will offer different pricing and features. Kitsap Garage Door is proud to offer a variety of Genie garage door openers, which come with advanced technology. These openers allow you to control your garage door from anywhere you have access to WiFi. They are also equipped with rolling entry codes which prevent potential burglars from obtaining your garage code and entering your home. Purchasing a reputable brand of garage door opener is the best way to ensure that it lives up to your expectations.
2. Safety and Security
Today’s garage door openers come equipped with photo-sensing eyes and technology to detect when something stands in the path of the door. These sensors are critical because they prevent people or objects from becoming trapped under a heavy garage door. Their job is to identify when a foreign object is in the path of the door and prevent it from going all the way down.
Safety sensors are standard, but as you begin to look around at all the options for garage door openers, you’ll likely discover a variety of additional safety features, including battery backups, smartphone technology and motion-sensor lights. Some people find these features essential, but others don’t find all of them necessary, so you’ll want to take some time to consider which garage door safety features will benefit you.
3. Power
Garage door opener power ratings are measured in horsepower. While much of the power for raising and lowering the door is housed in the door’s springs, the opener you choose will need to have enough horsepower to raise and lower your specific garage door. So, the larger — and heavier — your door, the more horsepower you’ll need. When it comes to residential garage door openers, you’ll typically find a variety of horsepower options available, so consulting with a reputable garage door installation specialist will help you determine which is best for your specific door.
4. Drive Mechanism
This term refers to the mechanical components of a garage door opener. In other words, how the opener operates or moves the door up and down. The way the opener works is important because it impacts how loud the opener will be, as well as how likely it is to break down at some point during its lifespan. The most common drive mechanism for a garage door opener is a chain-drive system, although belt-drive systems are also a popular option because they tend to make less noise. There are several other options available as well, which we cover below.
Types of Garage Door Openers
Garage doors are often categorized by their drive mechanism. This is because the way they operate impacts the longevity of their parts, the speed at which they open and close a door and their cost. The drive mechanism is not the only thing to consider — garage door opener safety features are available with each different model — but when you’re selecting your new opener, it’s a critical factor in understanding the differences between different openers.
1. Chain Drive Openers
As we mentioned above, chain drive openers are the most commonly installed garage door opener on the market today. They work like the chain on a bicycle, rotating to pull the door up and down as needed. Compared to other openers on the market today, chain-driven openers are inexpensive and durable. They are also strong, which can be a huge bonus if your garage door is heavy, such as ones made of solid wood.
The biggest drawback to chain drive openers is that they are usually noisier than other types of openers. The metal-on-metal friction they produce isn’t exactly quiet, which can be a problem for someone whose bedroom is above or near the garage. However, in recent years, manufacturers have been working to reduce the noise associated with these openers by installing soft start and stop mechanisms, as well as chain separators.
2. Belt Drive Openers
A belt drive opener works similarly to a chain-driven opener, but the metal chain is replaced by a belt that can be made from polyurethane, fiberglass or steel-reinforced rubber. Even the quietest chain-driven openers aren’t going to be completely quiet, so the belt-driven openers are a superb option if your bedroom is near the garage.
The downside to a belt drive option is that they are more expensive than their chain-driven counterparts. Besides that, they are only quieter if you’re sure the noise you’re hearing is coming from the opener and not the garage door itself. As garage doors and their components get older, they may become squeaky or noisy. Replacing your garage door opener with a quieter model won’t do anything to reduce the noise coming from a door itself. It will only reduce the noise associated with the opener.
3. Jackshaft
Jackshaft garage door openers are mounted on the wall next to the garage door instead of on the ceiling like a traditional opener. Jackshaft openers are an excellent option for a homeowner who doesn’t have much headroom to install an opener on their garage ceiling or for someone who is especially concerned with security. The Jackshaft opener is more secure than other openers because many Jackshaft models include a deadbolt and automatically engage it when the garage door is closed. Additionally, their location along the wall means that the cord to activate the manual override is harder to reach, making it more difficult for an intruder to gain entry to your home through the garage.
The biggest downside to a Jackshaft opener is its cost. Because they contain a lot of onboard computerization, they are more expensive than other openers on the market today. However, many homeowners are willing to pay the extra cost because these openers have more connectivity and electronic features that are appealing in our technology-driven society.
4. Direct Drive
Direct drive garage door openers are more common in Europe, but they are gaining in popularity in the United States because they are very quiet. These openers work by moving the opener’s motor up and down a chain. It’s a similar mechanism to a chain- or belt-drive opener, however, the motor is the part that moves instead of the chain or belt.
Besides being very quiet, they are more reliable and less likely to break since there’s only one moving part in the whole system. However, because they aren’t very common in the United States, they do tend to be more expensive than standard openers.
5. Screw Drive
A screw drive garage door opener works differently than the other options on the market today. These operate by a threaded metal rod that turns like a screw to raise the garage door. One of the biggest benefits to this garage door opener is that it opens faster than its chain- or belt-driven counterparts. It’s also less likely to break because it has fewer moving parts.
The downside to these types of garage door openers is that they do experience wear on the screw threads that turn to raise the door. To prevent this wear-and-tear, homeowners need to lubricate them regularly. Additionally, screw drive garage door openers usually cannot handle the weight of an older, heavier door. If you own a home with a solid wood door, especially an older wood door, this may not be the best option for you.
Garage Door Safety Features
Besides choosing the type of operating system you want in a garage door opener, you’ll also want to consider some of the safety features available on the market today. As you’re looking at your options, remember that different models come with different features. If there’s a particular safety feature you’re interested in, make sure it’s included with the garage door opener model you’re considering. In some cases, certain features may come as an add-on, rather than a standard feature.
1. Battery Backup
Standard garage door openers run off of your home’s electricity. This means that anytime your power goes out, your garage door opener doesn’t work. Yes, there is a manual override option, but this isn’t always a safe or practical option, especially for elderly or disabled adults who can’t manually lift a garage door in case of an emergency. Adding a battery backup feature ensures that your garage door opener will continue to operate when the power goes out, meaning you and your loved ones can exit your home safely any time.
Battery backups don’t always come standard, but it’s easy to add one to your garage door opener. They require very little maintenance requirements, which is another bonus. However, if you opt for the battery backup feature, you’ll need to periodically check the battery to make sure it’s retaining a charge and periodically replace the batteries, just as you would in a smoke detector.
2. Smartphone Technology
Thanks to the MyQ® Technology, now you can control your garage door from anywhere you have Wifi access. Gone are the days when you drove to the grocery store and worried that you forgot to close your garage door. Now you can just log into the app and check on the status of your door. If it’s open, it only takes one simple tap to shut it, giving you complete peace of mind wherever you are.
3. Motion Sensing Lights
Thanks to modern technology, you can program the lights in your garage to turn on and off. Instead of fumbling around for a switch every time you enter the garage, the lights associated with your garage door opener can be programmed to respond when they sense movement. Or, you can use the MyQ® app to turn them on just before you get home to make sure you have a safe, well-lit space to exit your vehicle. Your garage door opener offers an excellent opportunity to improve the lighting and security in your garage.
4. Rolling Code Technology
Garage door openers that operate with remote controls work when the remote control communicates on a fixed radio frequency. Burglars could figure out the code and make their way into the house through the garage. Today’s garage door openers have addressed this problem by using rolling code technology. This technology constantly changes the frequency the opener uses to communicate with the remote, making it almost impossible for someone to intercept the code and use it to break into your garage.
Choosing a Garage Door Opener Installation Professional
There are a lot of garage door openers on the market today with high-tech add-ons, such as smartphone access and rolling code technology. Choosing the system and features that work best with your existing garage door can be time-consuming if you aren’t sure what you’re looking for. Yes, the garage door opener is a common home appliance. But it’s a home appliance that deserves to be selected and installed correctly. And that’s why we always recommend working with a reputable garage door installation company that can help you narrow down your options and make a wise choice.
Family-owned and operated Kitsap Garage Door has more than 40 years of experience as professional garage door opener installers, selling and installing products for clients on the Kitsap Peninsula. We pride ourselves on offering quality installation of a variety of Genie garage door openers. Our experienced staff are well-trained on installation and opener operation, so we’re ready to install your new opener and then help you learn the ins and outs of the product. But there’s more to our service than installation. We also offer service and repair on existing garage door openers, so if you’re having problems with the opener you already have, let our pros repair the problem and get your opener back on track.
If you’re in the market for a new garage door opener, call the pros at Kitsap Garage Door and let us help you select the right garage door opener at the right price. Call us at 360-362-1240 or visit us online to get started today.