You definitely need to keep in mind the fact that selecting the most appropriate garage door opener (for example: MIGHTY MULE 502 ) is surely not going to be a walk in the park. There are just so many different things that the market offers and with the advancement of technology, it is easy to get lost in this great abundance of devices. However, you would have to properly pick the one that is tailor made for your garage door if you want to avoid any complications that would undeniably lead to some strong headache. This is due to the fact that if you purchase a model that is unfit for your garage door you are likely going to have to uninstall it completely and purchase a new one. And you are also very likely to have thrown a significant amount of money away. This is why you should keep an eye out for the things listed below.
- Try to find a device that is rather quiet. It is just something that would most likely bother most of the customers. You don’t want your garage opener to raise a lot of noise because it would undeniably cause discomfort and irritation amongst your neighbors and amongst your family members.
- Another thing that you want to get right is the remote-control reliability. Now, this might sound a bit technical but to put it in simple words – if you have neighbors who also have garage openers, the signals of your remote controls are likely to overlay which would cause interference. So, in order to avoid this, you should be looking out for garage door openers with dual-frequency. This would allow your remote to automatically switch between two frequencies in order to properly reduce the interference.
- The rolling code security technology is something that is relatively modern and quite complex. This method would allow you to rest assured that burglars won’t be able to electronically open your garage door. What it does is basically it would generate a new opening sequence every time you use your remote control. The garage door opener sets the new code out of millions of possibilities and sends the information to the remote which would trigger the opening process. So if burglars are to break in, they would have to guess a combination that is picked out of billion possibilities.
- Battery backup. Now, this is something that you should definitely aim to get. If it is not included in your garage door opener, you should ask for it to be added as an extra because it may be a lifesaver in certain situations. Generally, the garage door openers are operating with batteries or are plugged into the power source. However, if you run out of battery or if you are experiencing a power outage, you would literally be locked out or in your own garage. Imagine the inconvenience this might cause. With a battery backup, you would be able to open and close it for another 20-24 hours afterward.
- Another thing that you want to keep an eye out for is the overhead lights. Make sure that you buy a device that allows you to control the lights independently of the opening and closing process of the door. Some of the advanced garage door openers would be equipped with a motion sensor that would light up the place when a movement is detected.
All of this is regarding the specifications that you might consider getting. However, there are some absolute musts that you should undeniably take into serious consideration before going out and purchasing a garage door opener.
- How powerful a motor do you need?
- This depends on the size and the weight of your door. As you might have already figured heavier doors are going to require more lifting power in order to get opened. This is why you should consider buying a motor that offers you at least 1/2 horsepower if you have a heavy residential garage door. However, if you are using a lighter version you shouldn’t necessarily buy a less powerful motor because it wouldn’t matter much. On the other hand, there are also motors that offer up to 1 and 1/4 horsepower and they are designated for significantly heavier doors.
- What are the sizes of your door?
- Most of the garage doors are designated to handle standard 7-foot tall garage doors. However, there are extension kits that would allow you to use them for taller doors. You should expect to pay an additional amount of money for the kit, but if you got to do it there is no other way around.
- Do not overlook security and safety
- After all, security and safety must come first at all times. This is due to the fact that the most important purpose of a garage door is to keep the belongings inside out of the reach of burglars. Therefore, you should aim to get a device that would provide you with the highest amount of security features. You should always take into account safety matters. For instance, you surely wouldn’t want your garage door to slam on your car while you are parking because it got the wrong signal from your remote. Imagine if your pet or kid is under it while this happens. Aim for doors that have automatic reverse functions combined with sensors that would inform the device if there is something underneath the door.
- The truth is that this kind of technology would allow you to also implement an abundance of features for additional security, safety as well as convenience. For instance, you are also able to implement a HomeLink system that would allow you to operate the garage door right from the dash. However, keep in mind that some of the older cars might cause you nasty problems because the protocols of the system have altered over the years.
In any case, the benefits of a garage door opener are undeniable. They surely bring a great deal of assets to the table. The sole fact that you would be completely able to open your garage door without having to get out of the car in order to unlock it is enough reason to consider purchasing such a device. The most advanced models are incredibly quiet and if installed properly you would only hear the slightest sound of the door moving on the rails or being lift up.
Nevertheless, purchasing the right model could be quite a bother. Therefore, before going out to shop for it, make sure that you have done your homework. Measure the size of your door and figure out how heavy it is in order to get the model with the right capabilities. The last thing you want is to buy a device that wouldn’t be able to lift your door up because the motor is not powerful enough. This buying guide is specifically designated to provide you with all the information you are going to need in order to make an informed and concise choice so make sure to go over it on a quick glance and find out for yourself what you would be looking for.