Investing in a garage door is no overnight decision and research is needed in order to purchase the right products for you particular garage. You have to think about everything from the budget you have in mind, to the type of drive system you want to have, right through to the specs that are offered when it comes to performance, reliability and security. Then you have to finally decide on how it is going to be fitted and installed, are you going to attempt the process yourself or are you going to call in the experts to get your garage door all setup and ready to work?
Either way this all affects the end budget, but what you can do is get yourself prepared by setting up a to-do list of what you want to buy, and the first store you want to take a look at is Ace Hardware who sell everything you need in order to get setup with your first garage door system. From door openers, to remotes and sensors, it’s a great place to head to if this is the first time you are going to install a garage door.
What Brand Should I Go For?
There are many brands in the garage door opener world and selecting one can be a confusing process because most of the big names offer the same kind of features and specs. However, the Chamberlain models tend to offer a little more than most other brands such as Genie and LiftMaster.
Choosing your brand really does depend on your budget as you will see at Ace Hardware that prices do range depending on what drive system you want. Generally the belt drives which make for a quieter shutting and opening process are more expensive, and if you happen to choose a Chamberlain belt drive system then you must be prepared to pay around the $300 mark.
If you are looking for chain drive, which is cheaper than a belt drive system then you are going to be paying much less, especially if the brand of garage door opener (for example: MIGHTY MULE MM260 )
is something like a Craftsman, so be expected to pay half the price at around $159.99 for one of these type of models.
What Specs Should I Look For?
There are two main things you need to look for, the lifting capacity and the horsepower of your garage door opener. For a single garage door ½ horsepower specs are perfect, whilst for heavier built doors (usually wooden structured doors) you will be better going with a ¾ horsepower system that has a little more strength to it.
In terms of lifting capacity you will normally see one of two specs, a 550 or a 350, again this depends on the size of the door and the material it is made from. If you have a single door made from lightweight materials then 350 will do the job, anything bigger will require the 550 models in order to function and operate without any issues.
What Additional Thing Will I Need?
If you purchase a garage door opener from a store like Ace Hardware then you will be buying a complete unit with all the trimmings. The Craftsman Belt Drive as an example will offer you some additional components in the box which include a wireless keypad that you can use on the outer wall. The keypad will allow you to enter the garage without the need of a remote control; you just need to program in a 4-6 digit code. You will also get a motion detecting control and 2 3 button remote controls so you always have one spare. This is one of the higher prices models so it all comes down to budget again and the garage door opener system that you can afford, the cheaper units tend to come with less stuff or lower spec’d accessories.
For example a cheaper garage door opening bundle may contain a wired keypad rather than a wireless one. If this is the case then the wired unit will need its cables passing back from the outside of your garage into the inside, and connected to the motor unit. You will also have to program the wired unit in slightly different to the wireless unit by using the control panel on the garage door opener to connect the two devices together properly so that the keypad functions correctly.
Can I Buy Universal Remotes?
Universal remotes are slightly more expensive but you can pick them up at Ace Hardware for around $39.99, and this allows you to control multiple garages, and in most cases it also helps you control not just your garage lights but your entire household lights at the click of a button which is ideal for many homeowners. You just need to follow the programming instructions that come with the universal remote which takes a few minutes to get everything setup.