Automatic garage door openers are must-haves in this day and age. They offer users great convenience and safety, among other perks. If you are looking to install a new garage door or are just looking to replace/upgrade your automatic garage door opener, we can help you know what to look for as you shop around.
Power vs weight ratio
Automatic garage doors have different horsepower ratings. These mostly range from ½ horsepower to about 2.5 horsepower. The more power your opener has, the easier it can handle your door. If you have one of those older wooden garage doors which are quite heavy then make sure to pick an opener that packs enough power to handle it without failing. On the flip side, if you pick an opener that has too much power compared to the weight of the garage door, you may just end up paying higher bills than you ought to. Finding just the right amount of power for your door, therefore, is the trick.
Battery backup
A newly-introduced bill in the state of California requires that all new garage door openers installed after July 1st must have a battery backup system. This system allows the openers to store power in the battery. These openers are therefore able to function even when your home has no power. This bill was introduced mostly due to incidences related to California wildfires. In case there’s such a fire near your abode and the power goes out, you’ll still be able to enter or exit your home safely due to the battery backup system.
Quiet operation
Everyone wants an automatic garage door opener that isn’t too noisy to disrupt your peace and comfort at home. You don’t want your family or your kids to startle every time you open or close your garage door. Openers that use a belt system are quieter than those that use a chain system. Some say they last longer too. Check the decibel or noise rating of the unit you’re buying. The lower the rating the quieter the unit will be. Some garage doors are also built with anti-vibration systems that help to reduce noise levels further.
Modern extras
Modern automatic garage doors come with lots of exciting and amazing features. You don’t really need to buy expensive openers that have these features. However, some of those features are pretty cool and might just make your life a bit better. They include the MyQ smartphone app that lets you control your garage door using your phone, anti-hack security features, motion sensor lights, long-range remote use, and car-detection systems that open automatically when your vehicle gets close to the door.
Customer reviews
Before you take the leap and buy a new garage door opener that you expect to use for many years to come, it helps to see what other people are saying about the same product. So carry out some due diligence and check out customer reviews and ratings on that product online. What you learn might save you a lot of trouble and help you find an opener that’s a perfect fit for your needs.
If you need help choosing or installing a new garage door opener, talk to us here at SD Garage Doors. We are your garage door installation San Diego experts and we’d be glad to help in any way we can.