Are you tired of getting out of your car to open and close your garage door every time you come and go? Have you been thinking about investing in an automatic garage door opener? If so, you’re not alone. A growing number of homeowners are opting for this convenience and with good reason. An automatic garage door opener can make your life a lot easier. But is it worth the investment? Keep reading to find out.
Why Automatic Garage Door Openers Are Worth the Trouble
It’s a no-brainer that the best automatic garage door opener is worth investing in. There are several reasons why, including increased safety and convenience, as well as security and energy efficiency. As you learn more about these benefits, you’ll likely come to agree that an automatic garage door opener is a wise investment that can improve the quality of your life.
Automatic Garage Door Opener Convenience
An automatic garage door opener is a great convenience for your home or business. You can open your garage door from anywhere and you don’t have to be home to open the garage door. You can also open it with a smartphone or other device if you’d rather not use the remote control provided by the manufacturer. This makes it easy to come and go on busy days when you need access to your vehicle quickly, or by keeping things simple when you’re running late for work or an appointment.
Automatic Garage Door Opener Safety
Automatic garage door openers are a convenient way to open and close your garage door. However, safety must always be a top priority. One of the most important features of any opener is anti-tamper protection. This feature prevents intruders from gaining access to the mechanism by forcing it open or damaging it in some other way. Another feature that is essential for security purposes is an automatic reversing system that will stop the motor when a blockage occurs. This can prevent injury to people or damage to items stored in your garage as well as keep your opener running smoothly without interruption.
How to choose the best opener?
Your first step should be choosing a reliable brand that will give you peace of mind. There are plenty of models to choose from, but it’s important to choose one that has been around for quite some time and has built up a reputation for quality workmanship. This way, if anything goes wrong with your opener in the future, then at least you’ll know that the company behind it cares enough about its customers’ satisfaction to honor their warranty.
When narrowing down your options based on features and price points, there are three key things that we recommend keeping an eye out for. First are the safety features that are built into the opener itself, and second is security features that are added within its housing unit, third is the external mounting hardware. An average person may not think much about these considerations when buying an automatic garage door opener but they serve as important considerations when making this type of purchase because they impact how safe your home will be once installed inside.
Two types of automatic garage door opener
There are two different types of automatic garage door openers; chain drive and belt drive. Chain drive is the older style, while belt drives are a bit more modern.
- Chain drive garage door openers use a motor attached to the trolley that turns the chains or cables that pull on the door. Chain drives are generally less expensive but can be noisy and they don’t work well in cold weather since their cables can freeze, making them easier to break when you try to move them manually or with power tools.
- Belt drives operate like a car’s timing belt, one for each side of your garage door opener so that both sides moving simultaneously won’t cause any damage when opening or closing them. They’re also quieter than chain-driven openers because they reduce vibration significantly compared with other options out there today.
Garage Door Opener Installation Process
The process of installing a garage door opener is not as complicated as it seems. Here are a few steps for installing a garage door opener:
Step 1: Measuring your door.
The first step in installing a garage door opener is measuring your existing door. The measurements you need to take are as follows:
- Width and height of your garage door.
- Distance between the top track and bottom tracks on both sides of the door.
- Distance between the center of each track, or distance between the center of each hinge if you have a single track door.
Step 2: Select the right opener.
Next, you’ll need to select the right garage door opener. The type of opener you choose will depend on your needs and budget. Electric garage door openers are the most popular option because they are reliable and easy to install. They also come in a variety of sizes, so it’s easy to find one that fits your door perfectly.
Step 3: Installing the opener.
We will install the garage door opener on the opposite side of the door that has been designated as your “garage” or “access”. This means that if your garage is on the right, we will install the opener on your left. The same goes for an access door.
Once we have chosen a wall, we will use a stud finder or a hammer to make sure there are no obstructions in this area of one inch thick by two inches across. If there are any obstructions, we will move them out of the way and then continue with the installation. We will use pliers or crescent wrenches to remove the screws from existing mount holes if necessary.
Step 4: Installing the Control Box.
The control box is the command center that sends signals to your garage door opener. It’s a big part of the installation process and should be installed in a dry, well-ventilated, and clean area. We have to make sure that we have enough room to work on it because the control box is usually quite large. We will also need the power to run your opener and wire running from this box down through the floor or walls of your home so that it can reach directly below where we’ve installed your new garage door opener.
We also need to make sure that it is leveled, because if it isn’t level with gravity, then when someone walks by with their hand on one end of a handlebar attached via cable drum sprocket drive chains, they could get injured if the armature spins out of whack due to its position relative to other components within proximity. We also need to make sure there’s enough wire length available between where these two pieces are located so they can communicate easily.
Step 5: Connect and Program the Remote Controls and Keypads.
You should now be able to open and close your garage door using the remote control or keypad installed. If your door is closing but not opening, make sure that you have set the correct code for each device.
To program a remote control:
Press and hold the Learn button on your transmitter until its light begins flashing red (for about three seconds).
Point it at one of the receiver’s antennae, which is located just below each motor assembly. The transmitter’s light should turn solid green when you do this correctly; if not, try again with another antenna until it connects successfully.
Press and release any button on either device to finalize its learning process, this will cause both lights to go out momentarily as they exchange information before resetting to their previous state so that neither needs further programming if ever moved from their current positions again.
Step 6: Test Door Motion and Limits.
Once the door opener is installed and ready to be tested, it’s important to make sure that everything works as intended. That includes checking for proper operation, proper alignment, and proper safety features. Test the door motion and make sure the door opens and closes properly from both directions. You should also check if your garage door has an automatic reversing system that stops or reverses movement when something gets in its path. Finally, see if you can adjust any settings for this feature as necessary.
Check for proper security features such as locks and sensors if applicable, some openers come with these already installed on them. If you don’t have these installed yet but would like them added later, then now’s your chance to check whether they are compatible with your opener before buying them separately.
It is probably something you don’t think about much until it breaks
The first thing to consider about your automatic garage door opener is that it probably isn’t something you think about very often, until one day it stops working. At this point, you might consider looking into investing in a new one. If you’re still hesitant about getting one installed by professionals, then perhaps starting with a backup plan would make sense. In case of an outage or a broken spring or cable, you need to have another way out of the house than simply opening the garage door manually to keep away from danger. If something does happen to break on your current system, several things can occur:
- Your current motor can be fixed easily by yourself if you are comfortable with mechanical repairs and wiring connections. However, if you have no clue or experience on how to do this, then having someone come out right away would be best. A professional will always know exactly what needs fixing before doing any work.
- If anything else happens besides just needing repair, then calling an expert immediately is recommended. Things could get messy fast since these situations tend to cause more damage.
Signs It’s Time For a New Garage Door Opener
Here are a few signs that it’s time for a new garage door opener:
- The garage door opener is noisy. If the noise is loud enough to be heard inside your home, then it can interfere with sleep or other daily activities.
- The door doesn’t open or close properly. If your garage door doesn’t move as smoothly as it used to, now may be the time for an upgrade. A single squeaky hinge can be annoying enough to warrant an upgrade, but if there are several squeaks and rattles along the entire track of your garage door, this could mean that you need a more powerful motor to open and close it safely without damaging its hinges in the process.
- The door opener doesn’t work at all. If your automatic opener has stopped working entirely, don’t wait until something goes wrong before bringing in an expert mechanic who can diagnose and repair your system.
What to Do if Your Garage Door Opener Breaks
If your garage door opener breaks and you don’t have a warranty, it’s time to call in a professional. If you’re handy and want to try to fix it yourself, some tips may help:
- Check if all of the wires are connected properly. This is an easy fix if your problem has something to do with loose or broken wires.
- Make sure the chain isn’t tangled. This is another common issue that can be resolved by simply untangling the chain and making sure it’s working correctly. This step will save money on repairs and time.
What to do if your garage door opener has stopped working
If your garage door opener has stopped working, you may have a problem with the motor. The circuit board or wall switch may be also malfunctioning. If that happens, check the battery by connecting it to another remote control. If this doesn’t fix your issue, it’s time to contact a professional for help.
Hiring a professional vs. Doing it by yourself
Whether you choose to hire a professional or do the work yourself, there are pros and cons to both approaches. The benefit of hiring a professional is that they will have the proper tools and knowledge to do the job right. However, this can also be a downside if they don’t take your time-saving preferences into account. As with any other profession, some companies may be more responsive than others. If you’re uncomfortable working around electricity and mechanical parts, a pro may be worth the extra cost if he or she can complete your project faster than you could on your own.
On the other hand, doing it yourself gives you complete control over how long things take and what quality of work gets produced, assuming you know what’s involved in repairing garage doors. It also means no need for scheduling appointments or paying someone else’s hourly rate because they are licensed professionals in their field, but it does require knowing how everything works before starting so there aren’t any surprises later when something goes wrong.
An automatic garage door opener can be a great investment and it is important to know when it is time to replace your old one. If you are looking for a way to improve the safety and convenience of your garage, then an automatic garage door opener may be the answer.
BCS Overhead Door
If you need a new garage door opener, we’re the people to call. We offer a wide range of overhead doors and openers, so you can choose the one that’s perfect for you. Our team of experts will help you find the right product for your needs and budget. We specialize in garage door maintenance and garage door installation.
Looking for a reliable garage door company in College Station, TX? Look no further than BCS Overhead Door! We are regarded as the finest local garage door repair service in College Station. Contact us today for all your garage door needs!
